HARIDWAR: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Haridwar appealed to seers to spread awareness on how essential One Nation, One Election (ONOE) is for the country’s development.
Participating in a gathering of seers and religious leaders on ONOE, Chouhan stated that this resolve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is linked to the national interest rather than any political party.
Chouhan urged the seers to rise above political considerations and take this proposed election reform to the masses through their sermons and social influence.
He stated that frequent elections hinder the pace of the country’s development, as administrative machinery, teachers, police and security forces get occupied with election duties during such periods.
The Union minister said that holding Lok Sabha and assembly elections simultaneously would save time, money, and administrative resources, thereby allowing the government and administration to focus more on development work.
Highlighting the significance of ‘Vande Mataram’ as a symbol of patriotism and national unity, he called upon the seers to raise public awareness regarding its full version and asserted that the country must not be allowed to drift towards any form of division, and that national unity is paramount.
Speaking at the event, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami emphasised that holding simultaneous elections would save public funds and urged seers to guide society on this issue.
On this occasion, Yoga Guru Ramdev observed that elections are constantly taking place somewhere in the country throughout the year, and the electoral process impacts not only development schemes but also the education system.
Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad chief Shri Mahant Ravindra Puri noted that in the initial decades following independence, Lok Sabha and state assembly elections were held simultaneously; however, due to various circumstances over time, the tenures of state assemblies and the election schedules diverged.
He affirmed that the Akhara Parishad and the community of seers stand with the government on this issue of national interest.
