30-01-2010 : Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi
The President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil inaugurated the Anti Leprosy Fortnight and Leprosy Seal Campaign at Rashtrapati Bhavan today.
The Fortnight and Campaign begins every year on January 30, the Martyrdom Day of Mahatma Gandhi. Speaking on the occasion the President said that good work has been done in the area of eradication of Leprosy, yet the work is not complete. The President expressed her satisfaction that people from various professions are dedicating some of their time and money to help in this noble effort, which was so close to Mahatma Gandhi's heart. The President observed that Mahatma Gandhi did not just preach about the need for people to care for those afflicted by this disease, but was himself personally involved in the work.
The President recalled her long association with this cause, ever since when she was a Minister in the Government of Maharashtra and more recently when she was the Governor of Rajasthan. As Governor, on her birthday every year, she always visited organizations in civil society that were engaged in the work of care for leprosy patients and its eradication.
The President felt that the issue of rehabilitation of persons cured from leprosy was important and urged those involved in the Campaign to look at this aspect. The President said the ultimate measure of success would be the day when, as Mahatma Gandhi said, the disease would be eradicated and as a result Homes for the care of afflicted persons would be closed down. She asked all those at assembled at Rashtrapati Bhavan to work towards that goal.
This release issued at 1255 hrs.
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