Ballia, Nov 10 (IANS) A grand Deepotsav was organised at Chandra Shekhar Park in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, on Tuesday to commemorate the anniversary of Chandra Shekhar taking the oath as the Prime Minister of India on November 10, 1990.

The special event, organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), paid tribute not only to the former Prime Minister, late Chandra Shekhar, but also to other eminent personalities associated with Ballia. Lamps were lit in front of Chandra Shekhar’s statue, and statues of prominent personalities installed at various locations across the district.

His son and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Neeraj Shekhar said the initiative was aimed at remembering his father while expressing respect and gratitude towards all the great personalities associated with the land of Ballia.

Recalling the historic day, Neeraj Shekhar said his father had taken the oath of office as Prime Minister on November 10, 1990. To mark the occasion, it was decided that lamps would be lit not just at Chandra Shekhar’s statue but also in front of statues of other distinguished personalities across the district.

He expressed happiness over the enthusiastic participation of young people, who actively supported the initiative and lit lamps at various locations.

Neeraj Shekhar said the tribute was not limited to Ballia, as people from several parts of the country also participated in the campaign. He received calls from places such as Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Uttarakhand. People in Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, besides Uttar Pradesh, also responded to his appeal by lighting lamps.

He highlighted his father's special connection with Haryana and said he was deeply moved by the affection and respect shown by people from different parts of the country.

Expressing gratitude to everyone who participated, Neeraj Shekhar particularly appreciated the young generation for remembering the former Prime Minister. He said many of the participating youngsters might have been born after his father's demise, making their enthusiasm and willingness to honour his legacy especially meaningful.

According to Neeraj Shekhar, nearly 10,000 earthen lamps were lit at Chandra Shekhar Park. Lamps were also illuminated at statues of the former Prime Minister in Devsthali and along the roadside.

Across the district, the initiative covered around 70 locations, where lamps were lit in front of 70 statues of prominent personalities.

He said the central message of the event was that all great personalities associated with Ballia deserve respect and will continue to inspire generations. The lighting of lamps was an effort to remember their contributions and preserve their legacy.

Appealing to the youth, Neeraj Shekhar urged them to learn about the lives, ideals and contributions of the great personalities of Ballia. He stressed that every distinguished figure from the district deserved recognition and that their memories and achievements should be passed on to future generations.

He expressed hope that young people would draw inspiration from their ideals and contribute towards the progress and development of Ballia.

--IANS

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