From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Oct 2: The State Government will be observing Gandhi Jayanti as a government function in future, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah declared on Wednesday.

He was speaking at the Gandhi Jayanti celebrations organised by Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi in association with others in Bangalore.

Siddaramaiah said the Gandhi Jayanti and the World Non-Violence Day should be celebrated as a government event on the lines of Teachers’ Day in memory of former President Dr S Radhakrishnan.

The Chief Minister said the only way to pay tributes to the Mahatma is to follow the line of truth as enunciated by him.

Gandhian values and thoughts should be spread among the masses and their literature should be distributed to all.

Siddaramaiah said the Mahatma advocated Grama Swarajya for making villages self sufficient.

But villages comprises of only the elderly and the uneducated as all the young and educated have been migrating to urban areas.

Efforts are to be made to arrest this trend and realise the Mahatma’s dream, he said.

He released Janapada Gandhi souvenir, a book, `Namma Gandhi Taata’ and Kannada version of documentary on the Mahatma.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil said rural development was very close to Mahatma’s heart.

The minister said the rural development and panchayat raj department is striving hard to realise the Mahatma’s dreams.

Gandhi Saakshi Kaayaka, a new software,  is being implemented by his department on Gandhi Jayanti day, Patil said.

The software brings in transparency in the functioning of the department wherein every detail will be put in public domain, Patil said.

He also unveiled a statue of the Mahatma which is in meditation posture.