Gandhi portrait installed for the first time in CMC

Gandhi portrait installed for the first time in CMC
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

CALCUTTA, OCT 2: A portrait of Mahatma Gandhi was installed at the Calcutta Municipal Corporation for the first time in its history on Monday as his birth anniversary was observed in West Bengal with prayers, singing of the `Ramdhun' and spinning of the charka.

Mayor Subrata Mukherjee, who unveiled the portrait, refused to be dragged into a debate on whether installation of the portrait was related to the Trinamool Congress coming to power at the CMC.

"I do not want to go into a debate. There was no portrait of Gandhiji here and we have installed one. That's all,'' he said.

Meanwhile, the main function was held at Barrackpore Gandhighat in North 24 Parganas district where Governor Viren J Shah garlanded the Mahatma's statue and spent some time spinning the charka. The function was also attended by PWD Minister Kshiti Goswami and Chief Secretary Manish Gupta.

At another function here, the Governor and some eminent personalities paid floral tributes in front of the Mahatma's statue.

The Azadi Bachao Andolan organised a silent procession from north Calcutta to the Gandhi statue in the Maidan area, appealing to the people to discard products of multinationals and pledge for swadeshi.