Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday sent a 'chadar' on his and the party's behalf to be offered at Ajmer Sharif dargah on the occasion of Urs of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

He referred to the Ganga-Jamuni culture of the country and called for spreading love and affection and defeating the forces of hatred.

Kharge said the roots of national unity and brotherhood are so deep that they cannot be shaken by a few people with distorted mindset.

During the day, Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju offered a ceremonial 'chadar' sent by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the dargah and read out the prime minister's message which called on people from across religions to work together in harmony.

In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge wrote, "With utmost devotion and respect, I feel very fortunate to send a chadar on behalf of myself and the Congress party on the occasion of the 813th Urs Mubarak of Khwaja Garib Nawaz Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri. Being the Congress President, today I got the opportunity to carry on the tradition which our party carries on year after year." He said he is praying for the welfare of every citizen of the country and the welfare of the world.

The symbol of our country's Ganga-Jamuni culture, national unity, mutual brotherhood, love and affection, etiquette and hospitality is behind the offering of the 'chadar', he wrote.

"The message from this should go to the entire world that the roots of national unity and brotherhood in India are so deep that they cannot be shaken by a few people with distorted mindset," Kharge said in his post and also shared pictures with some Muslim leaders holding the 'chadar' at his residence.

The Congress chief said while drafting the Constitution, our ancestors had kept the spirit of national unity at the centre, which it is the duty of every Indian to protect.

He recalled that 2025 is the centenary year of Mahatma Gandhi becoming the Congress president, as in 1924, under his presidency, people from all over the country gathered in Belgaum and gave the message of unity against untouchability, discrimination and hatred.

"We should always remember that the 'merchants of hatred' have snatched the Father of the Nation from us, but his ideas are alive and the Congress party is constantly fighting for this by keeping the concerns of the people at the forefront.

"Therefore, the message of peace and brotherhood should spread from Khwaja's shrine to the entire world," he asserted.

"Let us pray that peace, tranquillity, love, affection, democracy and the centuries-old Ganga-Jamuni culture remain in the country as long as the sun and the moon exist. Jai Hind," Kharge said in his message. PTI SKC ZMN

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