SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday said Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of truth, non-violence, self-reliance and inclusivity remain deeply relevant in the modern technology-driven world, urging young people to verify information before reacting and use technology responsibly.
Addressing a Gandhi Jayanti celebration organised by the School Education Department in collaboration with the Department of Culture, Sinha extended greetings to the people of Jammu and Kashmir on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary.
He congratulated students who participated in cultural programmes and toppers of the district-level symposium on truth and non-violence. He also appreciated a Kashmiri rendition of Gandhi’s bhajan by Gulzar Ahmed, a Hindi performance by students of the Institute of Music and Fine Arts and a skit by Girls Higher Secondary School, Kothibag.
Highlighting the significance of October 2, the Lieutenant Governor said Gandhi gave India a new way of confronting injustice and living with dignity.
Sinha said that while technology has connected people across the world, it has also raised challenges relating to misinformation, inclusivity and truth. He urged young people to adopt the discipline of verifying facts, listening and understanding before responding.
“Truth is the habit of verifying before believing any fact or information and truth is the habit of listening and understanding before responding immediately to anything,” he said, adding that Satyameva Jayate must remain a guiding principle of democracy.
The Lieutenant Governor said technology should remain an instrument in human hands rather than become a substitute for conscience, stressing that its direction ultimately depends on those who use it.
Emphasising India’s strength in diversity, Sinha said unity must be reinforced through justice, respect and compassion. He said progress should also be measured by how effectively society improves the lives of its weakest and most deprived sections.
Referring to the goal of a Developed India by 2047, Sinha said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid out a vision focused on economic strength, prosperity, opportunities, dignity and access to justice. He also linked the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign with Gandhi’s emphasis on self-reliance, local products, artisans, small enterprises and farmers.
Calling character-building a critical element of nation-building, Sinha urged citizens to reflect on whether their own actions advance truth or rumours, encourage dialogue or reaction, and strengthen unity or division.
He called upon the youth to use the unprecedented power of technology with discipline and responsibility and work towards building an India that is modern and compassionate, prosperous and just, powerful and sensitive, and above all united.
Health and Education Minister Sakeena Masood Itoo, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Padma Bhushan Rajeev Sethi, Gandhi Global Family J&K President Padma Shri Dr S.P. Varma, senior government officials, prominent citizens, heads of educational institutions, teachers and students attended the programme.
