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NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated the 3rd International Kite Festival, urging the Delhi government and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to form a committee to make the city the national hub for kite festivities, expand the event, and encourage public participation for a grand nationwide celebration.Addressing the 3rd International Kite Festival- 2026 in Delhi, Shah said, “The kite festival will connect people across the entire country, and in the future, it can become a national festival. I urge the Delhi administration and the DDA to form a committee to make Delhi the centre of the kite festival for the whole country, and to work to expand it and ensure public participation to make it a truly grand celebration.”Shah also referenced the richness of India’s festival culture, quoting poet Kalidasa, “Utsav-priya janah,” meaning the people of India are fond of festivals. He said that throughout the year, people across the country celebrate festivals, which bring society together and foster a collective vision, adding that Uttarayan is an integral part of this tradition.He recalled the role of kites in India’s freedom movement, saying the Simon Commission faced strong opposition across the country, with the slogan “Simon Go Back” becoming a key symbol of resistance. “The most powerful protest happened during Uttarayan, when people all over the country flew kites with ‘Simon Go Back’ written on them, filling the sky and demonstrating their strength to the British,” Shah said.Speaking about Somnath Swabhiman Parv to mark the 1000th anniversary of the first attack on the Somnath temple, Amit Shah said that those who destroyed Somnath are gone, but the temple stands proud.”PM Modi has created the Somnath Swabhiman Parv to mark the 1000th anniversary of the first attack on the Somnath temple. Now, the Indian government and several state governments have also decided to observe a Somnath Swabhiman Varsh.”He highlighted the resilience of the temple, stating,”The power of those who build is far greater than that of those who destroy. Those who destroyed it Mahmud of Ghazni, Mahmud Begada, Alauddin Khilji are nowhere to be seen on the world map today. The Somnath temple stands proudly in the same place, visible to the entire world. This is a symbol of the eternal nature and immortality of Sanatana Dharma, and that the fundamental elements of Indian culture are immortal,” Shah said.
