South Korean delegation wants Gadag delared as ‘peace district'
During their interaction with the Minister, branch manager of HWPL Global-O3 Branch Woonam Kim and director of the International Law Department, Jaden Lee apprised him of the organisation's global peace initiatives.
The delegation urged the Minister to takes steps to declare Gadag district a 'Peace District' and Karnataka be recognised as a 'Peace State'.
Responding to the request by the delegation, Mr. Patil told them that Gadag district had been known as one of the most peaceful districts for long and Karnataka was recognized as one of the most peaceful States in the country. 'The government will consider the request from HWPL and take appropriate steps,' he said.
The Minister emphasised that world peace was essential for people to live in harmony and tranquillity. 'India has always been a peace-loving nation, and the principle of non-violence taught by Mahatma Gandhi has been our guiding light. Many countries around the world should follow this example', Mr. Patil said.
Vice-Chancellor of MGRDPR University Suresh Nadagoudar, various faculty members and officials were present.
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While demanding holy place status for Ghoman, Sanjay Nahar said, "The govt of Maharashtra has expressed its willingness to contribute wherever necessary. Elevating Ghuman to this status will not only honour its sacred heritage but also generate employment opportunities for thousands of youth in the surrounding areas." On May 14, former Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who is also one of the patrons of Sarhad Pune, also wrote a letter to Punjab CM requesting the holy place status for Ghoman. Shinde wrote, "The emotional appeal to grant Ghuman (read Ghoman), the sacred place where Sant Namdev Maharaj dedicated his later years, the status of a national holy site is close to my heart and to millions of devotees in Maharashtra. As Union minister, I personally took up this issue and wrote to the Prime Minister in 2011, urging for Ghuman's (Ghoman's) recognition as a site of national spiritual importance. " Shinde further wrote, "Since then, senior leaders from Maharashtra, including Sharad Pawar Ji, have supported the demand and written to your esteemed office." Shinde pointed out, "Sant Namdev Maharaj is not just a saint of Maharashtra or Punjab — he is a national spiritual icon whose teachings continue to resonate across generations." According to Shri Namdev Darbar committee joint secretary Sarabjit Singh Bawa, "It is believed that Bhagat Namdev founded Ghoman and meditated here for 18 years." Bawa said devotees heading to Mata Vaishno Devi from Maharashtra often make a stop at Ghoman either while going to Vaishno Devi or on their return. "There is a serai and a big hall for accommodation." "For the past couple of years, devotees have been flocking to Ghoman on cycles from Pandharpur of Maharashtra in batches of a hundred or more," he added. Former Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit, a veteran politician from Maharashtra, Bawa said, in his capacity as governor, gave Rs 1 crore, of Rs 2 crore cost, for the construction of the serai. During the 88th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan in Ghoman, then Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal announced to set up a govt degree college dedicated to Bhagat Namdev and a chair at Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU). While a constituency college of the GNDU, Baba Namdev University College, was set up in nearby Kishankot the next year, the chair at GNDU remained a non-starter even as it emerged it was reportedly first set up in 1997 and remained defunct. Union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari, who attended the inaugural function of the Sammelan, announced the construction of a 157-km-long four-lane cemented road from Amritsar to Una in Himachal Pradesh via Mehta, Ghuman, Tanda, and Hoshiarpur at a cost of Rs 1,800 crore under the national highways project. According to Bawa, "In ten years, of the announced road project, only part of the stretch that was completed is from Amritsar to Mehta. " Nahar said that devotees from Maharashtra believe that Namdev breathed his last in Pandharpur, Maharashtra, but those from Punjab believe that he took 'samaadhi' in Ghoman. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
