Team News Riveting
Raipur, November 20
The two-day Sahitya Parab under the aegis of Raipur Litfest Society started here in the state capital of Chhattisgarh on Sunday.
Thinker and speaker Ram Madhav was the chief guest at the event that was presided over by the Vice Chancellor of Kushabhau Thakre University of Journalism Prof Baldev Bhai Sharma. Noted social worker and orthopaedic surgeon Dr Purnendu Saxena was the guest of honour. The session was conducted by senior journalist Prafulla Pare.
The inaugural session was themed on colonial mindset and literature. Speaking on the occasion, Ram Madhav said Mahatma Gandhi believed India became politically free on August 15, 1947, and wanted Congress to work for attaining social, economic, and moral freedom instead of working as a political party. “When India got freedom on August 15, 1947, everyone called it ‘azadi’ and ‘swatantrata’ (Independence). But Mahatma Gandhi was the only person who denied saying this and said India became politically independent,” he added.
Three days before Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, he dictated a draft proposal that India has attained only political freedom but social, economic and moral freedom were yet to be achieved. He wanted to get the proposal passed in the next convention of the Indian National Congress but he was assassinated before it could take shape, Madhav said.
Madhav said Gandhiji had suggested launching another movement (to attain social, economic and moral freedom) and keep it out of the purview of politics, and therefore, Congress had to quit as a political party.
Referring to the ‘Ram Van Gaman Path’ (the route taken by Lord Ram on his way to the 14-year exile) project, he said recalling the history and renovating the historic places including Ram Temple at Ayodhya was a good sign. Madhav said he had seen big hoardings of ‘Ram Van Gaman Path’ renovation work in Raipur which is good as the country’s heritage needs to be protected and rejuvenated.
The second session was titled culture and society in contemporary literature while the third session focussed on experimentalism in Chhattisgarh literature.
This is the second Sahitya Parab organised under the banner of Raipur litfest Society. The concluding day will have three sessions including the valedictory.
