Cong signature drive for global tag to Pitripaksh Mela

Gaya: Congress party has launched a signature campaign for declaring Pitripaksh Mela as an international event. The fortnight-long fair is the most important part of the south Bihar calendar when lakhs of pilgrims from the country and abroad visit Gaya to perform rituals to seek salvation of ancestral souls.The issue was first raised by Union MSME minister Jitan Ram Manjhi in Aug 2024. The minister at that time had written to Union culture minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, however, his demand has not been met yet.According to Congress leader Vijay Kumar Mithu, who is now spearheading the campaign to get Pitripaksh Mela declared as an international event, it was very unfortunate that despite being a Union minister Manjhi could not succeed in getting the mela declared as an international fair.

On Tuesday, Congress workers staged a protest on the Vishnupad temple premises over the issue. If the demand was not met, an agitation would be launched soon, said Mithu.