A bird named Demoiselle Crane lays its eggs in summer and flies away thousands of miles but its mind never moves away from its eggs. When it returns to its eggs in the second season, the chicks are already out. “NRGs love for Gujarat resembles this bird. They never allow Gujarat to be separated from their minds even if they move away from Gujarat. This 01st May, Gujarat Day celebration in the UK proves it, says Parshottam Rupala, Union Cabinet Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying - Govt. of India”. Shri Parshottambhai spoke as the chief guest, for the online celebration of Gujarat Foundation Day on 1st May, organised by the National Council of Gujarati Organizations-UK (NCGO) in association with Gujarat Samachar & Asian Voice and Gujarati Cultural Society-Brighton.
Shri Purushottam Rupala greeted everyone and spoke about Seva.
While talking about the virtue of service in Gujarati people, he said, Devidas Bapu used to gather leprosy patients into his Ashram when they were abandoned at the seashore. We only remember Christian nuns or Christianity whenever we talk about service, but this is also required to be taught to our youth.
On this occasion, paying homage to the martyrs of the founding of Gujarat, he applauded all the efforts from the first Chief Minister of the state, Shri Jivraj Mehta to the present Chief Minister, Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel, saying that everyone has invested energy to take this Yatra forward in their own way.
Sardar Patel was the backbone of the struggle started by Mahatma Gandhi from Sabarmati Ashram. Together with Sardar Saheb, Gandhiji gave shape to independent India and India became one India. Same way now, two Gujarati dignitaries, PM Shri Narendrabhai Modi and Home Minister Shri Amitbhai Shah are working hard to make India a better India.
Speaking about the business skills of Gujarati people, he cited the example of Surat city and its diamond workers. “The success of any business is dependent on two things, namely, raw material and market; but Surat's Diamond business has none of the two, nevertheless, it stands successfully in the world as major of the Diamond industries are owned by Gujaratis. It is only possible due to the hardworking people of Gujarat.”, he noted.
Minister Rupala also talked about the development of Gujarat under the Hon’ble PM Shri Narendrabhai Modi, when he served as the CM of Gujarat. The people of India handed over the power of the nation to Narendra Modi after witnessing the development of Gujarat under his regime. It is Narendrabhai who built the reputation of India before the world's nations that all nations gaze towards India whenever any problem arises at a global level. It is only Narendra Modi who, as the Prime Minister of India, supplied the Corona Vaccination to 100 nations and also got the full vaccination on a domestic level.
“Gujarat and Maharashtra are like brother states. Both are connected with each other even today. Most of the interstate marriages take place between Gujarat and Maharashtra,” said Shri CB Patel, Editor-in-Chief of Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice. He expressed a wish that the ministers from India should meet the Gujarati Community whenever they visit the UK and other nations. This would encourage the language of Gujarati over other nations.
CB Patel and Shri Jitubhai Patel, Vice president of NCGO praised Shri Parshottambhai’s services for the Gujarati Communities staying abroad. Shri Vimalji Odedara, President of NCGO also joined the online celebration from India and delivered his message on the occasion.
Committee members, organisation members of NCGO & GCS and many other dignitaries took part in this online celebration.
Shri Dhirubhai Gadhavi compered the programme, while Ms Alka Thakur and Shri Rutvijbhai from the Live Music team entertained the audience with melodies songs, beginning with Ganesh Stuti including songs narrating the Gujarat pride stories. Shri Anantbhai Suchak and Shri Mahendrabhai Chauhan assisted with the technical support for the event. Shri Jitubhai Patel presented the Vote of Thanks at the end of the program.
