The Hindu : Kerala / Kollam News : Huge crowds greet Sonia Gandhi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 30, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Kollam

Huge crowds greet Sonia Gandhi

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLLAM, AUG. 29. T he Congress president and Chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance, Sonia Gandhi, arrived at the Lal Bahadur Stadium here for inaugurating the yearlong Guruvarsham 150 celebrations at 4 p.m.. She reached Kollam by helicopter from Thiruvananthapuram.

At the helipad constructed at the Sree Narayana College grounds, Ms.Sonia Gandhi was formally received by the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam general secretary's wife, Preeti Natesan, along with the DCC president, Sooranad Rajashekaran.

Packed venue

The Lal Bahadur stadium was packed when Ms. Gandhi arrived there as hundreds of SNDP activists raised slogans supporting her. She reciprocated by waving to the crowds, which comprised a large gathering of women.

She addressed the gathering after all those who were present in the dais finished their speeches.

In his presidential address, the Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, said that Sree Narayana Guru is the architect of the reformation movement in Kerala. His teachings are responsible in many ways for the progress registered by the State.

He expressed the hope that the celebrations would make a contribution for the progress of the State.

Unity stressed

In his keynote address, the Speaker, Vakkom Purushothaman, citing the presence of the general secretary of the Nair Service Society at the venue, said that the same should portend in creating better unity between the two communities.

`Make India shine'

Swami Sookshmananda of the Sivagiri Mutt said that if India needs to shine, that can be achieved only through a secular culture, which is inevitable in the Indian context. Spirituality and religion are two different aspects. The Guru had combined both these aspects in the right proportion to make Kerala shine.

He requested Ms. Sonia Gandhi to take the lead in spreading the philosophy of Sree Narayana Guru and make India shine.

On the occasion, the SNDP Yogam general secretary, Vellappally Natesan, and Soornand Rajashekaran presented mementos to the Congress president. Ministers, Kadavur Sivadasan, K.R. Gowri, Babu Divakaran and K. Sudhakaran, the Kollam MP, P. Rajendran, the Congress leader, Vayalar Ravi, and the Kollam Mayor, Sabida Beegum addressed. Mr. Natesan welcomed the gathering. The president of the Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust, Swami Swaroopananda, lit the lamp. The Devaswom Board secretary of the Yogam, M.B. Sreekumar, proposed a vote of thanks.