Prime Minister Modi to head 126-member panel for Phule’s 200th birth anniversary

THe authorities on mon notified a 126-member citizens committee, led by ground government minister Narendra Modi, to coordinate the upcoming 200th birth anniversary celebrations of social reformer Jyotirao Govindrao Phule.Former Presidents Pratibha Patil and Ram Nath Kovind, former PM HD Devegowda, former CJIs BR Gavai and KG Balakrishnan, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot are among other prominent members of the panel.It, however, doesn’t include Lok Sabha’s Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi and Congress president and Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge.The panel was notified by the ministry of culture on Monday. “To commemorate the 200th Birth Anniversary of Shriman Jyotirao Govindrao Phule during 11-04-2026 to 11-04-2028, the Competent Authority has approved the constitution of a High Level Committee.”The mandate of the panel is “to approve policies/plans, programmes and supervise and guide the commemoration of 200th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, including preparatory activities...”The recommendations of the panel will be considered by the Government of India for implementation, subject to extant Rules, instructions and practices, the notification said.Born in 1827, Phule remains a cornerstone of India’s anti-caste movement. He is celebrated for his relentless work in women’s education and his role in establishing the Satyashodhak Samaj, which sought to secure equal rights for marginalised communities.Except for chief ministers of poll-bound states, the panel comprises several CMs, including Omar Abdullah, Siddaramaiah and Rekha Gupta, as its members.A senior official indicated that, after the polls, the new CMs will be included from these states. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who is set to resign after being elected to the Rajya Sabha, is also missing.The panel also includes 34 Union ministers, including defence minister Rajnath Singh, home minister Amit Shah and transport minister Nitin Gadkari as its members, besides MPs S Phangnon Konyak, R Krishnaiah, Amol Kolhe, Jyoti Waghmare, PT Usha and Upendra Kushwaha.Cabinet secretary TV Somanathan, home secretary Govind Mohan, social justice secretary S Pant, culture secretary Vivek Agarwal, agriculture secretary Atish Chandra, education secretary Sanjay Kumar, NCBC chairperson Niranjan Jyoti have been included in the panel. Spiritual leaders such as Jaggi Vasudev, Mata Amritanandamayi and Baba Ramdev have also been included.