5th National Handloom Day cancelled : Biswajit pays homage to Swaraj
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 07 2019:
The 5th National Handloom Day which was scheduled to be held today, was cancelled due to the untimely demise of former Union External Affairs as well as BJP leader Sushma Swaraj.
All necessary preparations for the event, which were planned under the aegis of Directorate of Handloom and Textiles, at Social Worker Congress compound, Khongman (under Thongju AC, Imphal East), were completed and people had even started to gather at the site when Textiles, Commerce and Industries Minister Th Biswajit (the chief guest of the event) personally came and announced that the handloom event will be cancelled.
The Minister said that the National Handloom Day has been observed annually from 2015 and as a part of the event this year, the State Government was planning to announce the various projects and plans for the weavers tomorrow.
However, the event will be cancelled to mourn the untimely demise of Sushma Swaraj, he informed.
Biswajit explained that Sushma Swaraj was born on February 14, 1952 at Haryana and she was even an advocate before becoming a legislator at the age of 22.She was the 2nd woman to become the External Affairs Minister, after late Indira Gandhi and she was a respected leader all over the country, he added.
Biswajit continued that he, along with Chief Minister N Biren Singh, met the leader numerous times in the past and they interacted on various issues like Act East Policy and many others.
Her untimely demise has left a great void for the Nation, Biswajit said.
Later, the people gathered at the site, Government officials and women weavers observed a two minute silence in honour of the departed soul.
MANIDCO Chairman Dr Radheshyam Yumnam, Textiles, Commerce and Industries Principal Secretary P Vaiphei, Director K Lamlee Kamei and other officials also took part in the event.
It may be mentioned that National Handloom Day was started by the Union Government on August 7, 2015 with the objective of spreading awareness about the importance of socioeconomic development of handloom industry.
The day (August 7) was chosen in memory of the launch of the Swadeshi Movement at Calcutta Town Hall on August 7, 1905 as a mark of protest against the bifurcation of Bengal by the British.