Gujarat Governor Acharaya Devvrat and CM Patel pay visit to Kirti Mandir

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], August 14 (ANI): To mark the state-level celebration of the 79th Independence Day, Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, and other dignitaries paid a visit to Kirti Mandir on Thursday.
During this visit, Minister of Water Supply Kunvarji Bavaliya, Rajya Sabha MP Rambhai Mokariya, District Panchayat President Parbat Parmar, MLA Arjun Modhwadia, former minister Babubhai Bokhiria, District BJP President Chetana Tiwari, and Porbandar City BJP President Sagar Modi, other dignitaries and officials were present.
A day earlier, the Sarpanch Thanabhai Dodia of Jaloya village in Gujarat's Banaskantha district was invited as a special guest for the upcoming Independence day celebrations in recognition of his village's contributions during Operation Sindoor, when residents provided machinery and labor to assist the armed forces.
Dodia, whose village lies about 20 kilometres from the India-Pakistan border, will attend the event at Delhi's Red Fort in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On Tuesday, he expressed gratitude to both the Gujarat and central governments for the honour."I have been invited as a special guest for Independence celebrations to be held on 15th August at Red Fort in Delhi in the presence of Shri Narendra Bhai Modi Sahib. I am thankful to the Government of India, the Government of Gujarat and the authorities from the bottom of my heart. This is the first programme after Operation Sindoor in which I have been invited as the sarpanch of my last village in the border area," Dodia said.
"During the war in Operation Sindoor, when the machines were needed, we gave machines, and when labourers were needed, people stood ready. Keeping that in mind, we have been invited. Modi ji has given this opportunity to the sarpanch of the last village. I am grateful for this," he added.
He also said the Border Security Force (BSF) has maintained close coordination with the village.
"Operation Sindoor was going on, and BSF was in touch with us. We have good liaison in the border area. We sit together, plan and work together. The villagers have always helped the BSF, and the BSF has also helped us a lot," the Jaloya Sarpanch added.
Meanwhile, the Gujarat government has planned extensive Independence Day celebrations in Porbandar, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. The flag-hoisting ceremony will be led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. Gujarat Legislative Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary will hoist the flag at Mehsana, while members of the State Cabinet and District Collectors will do so at various district headquarters. (ANI)