Mission Swachhta Aur Paani Telethon: 4,500 Yrs Ago, Lothal Citizens Set the Example, Says Akshay Kumar

The Network18 and Harpic Mission Swachhta Aur Paani telethon is a “jan andolan” for inclusive sanitation, actor and campaign ambassador Akshay Kumar said on Saturday, joining the grand event from the Statue of Unity in Kevadiya town of Gujarat.

?It is a jan andolan for sanitation, security and awareness building. A mission to bring about behavioural changes ? the right to dignity. This mission is so that people change their habits to adopt a lifestyle of cleanliness and hygiene,? Kumar said.

The actor said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had first launched ?Swachh Bharat Abhiyan? from his home state inspired by Mahatma Gandhi?s dream of a clean India. ?He (Prime Minister Modi) launched the cleanliness mission to do away with open defecation rampant in India by bringing toilets to every household and raising awareness on cleanliness,? he added.

Kumar further said Gandhi was the first Indian to realise that cleanliness was one of the most important aspects of nation building. So, he started a sanitation revolution that cleanliness was more important than political independence. ?Gandhi said till the time we don?t change our bad habits or don?t keep our toilets clean, we cannot be free in the true sense,? he said.

Later in the day, Akshay Kumar joined the telethon stage to share a story from 4,500 years ago. “I joined you from the Statue of Unity in Gujarat’s Kevadiya today. A short distance from there is the archeological site of Lothal. It’s incredible to know that 4,500 years ago, the people of the time in Lothal used toilets. Can you believe it?” he said.

“It’s true. During digs, archeologists have found indoor flush and toilet systems there. Think about it. People used toilets 4,500 years ago. But don’t know why people today don’t give importance to sanitation,” he added.

Cleanliness and water are two vital pillars that sustain lives on the planet, and India’s leading media conglomerate Network18 and Harpic, a leading brand in lavatory care category, expanded the initiative this year to include swachhta as well. Mission Swachhta Aur Paani, a sanitation-for-all campaign by News18 and Harpic, is a movement that upholds the cause of inclusive sanitation where everyone has access to clean toilets. It advocates equality for all genders, abilities, castes and classes and strongly believes that clean toilets are a shared responsibility.

The sustained campaign launched in 2019 has achieved considerable success by bringing to fore key water and sanitation issues. The campaign has been able to draw in social leaders from different walks of life, who have mobilised public opinion.

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