Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday flagged off Shobha Yatra, an annual parade that takes place on the occasion of Valmiki Jayanti, from the party's headquarters in Delhi.
Speaking on the occasion, Gandhi said, "Greetings on the occasion of Valmiki Jayanti! Maharishi Valmiki propagated the idea of love and brotherhood. Our constitution is based on the ideas of Maharishi Valmiki."
"However, these days we can observe that his ideology is being attacked. The interest of minorities in the country is being suppressed. On behalf of the Congress party, I would like to say that we will not let this trend of suppressing minorities continue," he added.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute to Maharishi Valmiki on the occasion of Valmiki Jayanti and recalled his seminal contributions towards chronicling our rich past and glorious culture.
"I bow in reverence to Maharishi Valmiki on the special occasion of Valmiki Jayanti. We recall his seminal contributions towards chronicling our rich past and glorious culture. His emphasis on social empowerment keeps inspiring us," tweeted PM Modi.
Every year, Valmiki Jayanti is celebrated on the full moon day of the Ashwin month to mark the birth anniversary of Maharishi Valmiki.
( With inputs from ANI )
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