Five must-know facts about President Ho Chi Minh
	Exhibitions commemorating President Ho Chi Minh’s 130th birthday
	President Ho Chi Minh in the eyes of foreign friends

President Ho Chi Minh at New Delhi airport during the friendship visit to India, February 4, 1958 (Documentary photo / VNA)

On the occasion of Great President Ho Chi Minh's 130th birthday anniversary, Mr. Geetesh Sharma, Chairman of the India-Vietnam Solidarity Committee in West Bengal state (India), wrote an article on Uncle Ho to the Vietnam-India Friendship Association. The Thoi Dai (Vietnam Times) would like to cite this article to our beloved readers:

On every 19^th May we are celebrating anniversary of Uncle Ho. The question arises, why do we celebrate the birthday of the person who died long ago in 1969 while the world scenario of politics & economy has changed drastically since then. The answer is simple and clear, as the problems in the third world countries of Asia & Africa including India; majority of the people oppressed and depressed are deprived of minimum standard of living. Ho Chi Minh’s ideology and his life is still an inspiring and motivating force to combat the inhuman disparity.

Uncle Ho’s ideology was unique and his life was the reflection of his ideology. In 1945 he became the President of North Vietnam and Vietnam was facing acute famine. He witnessed the death of thousands Vietnamese people. Ho Chi Minh appealed to the people to grow vegetables and herbal plants everywhere possible including roofs or courtyards wherever land was vacant. So that people get eatable early within a month.Since then Vietnamese have the habit of green vegetables and herbals leaves in their food. It needless to explain its health benefits. Ho Chi Minh used to say that a healthy person creates a healthy society and healthy society creates a healthy nation. He prioritized cleanliness. He pleaded people to keep their surrounding clean, drink boiled water and keeping hands clean washing them frequently. The habits he cultivated, paying dividends today. Most of the Vietnamese are slim and healthy.

Ho Chi Minh knew the importance of education. So while fighting the liberation war against France and America, education classes were also taken by women comrades including adult education. Today around 98 % population of Vietnam is educated which is also a record in itself.

As a President of Vietnam, he had announced his first decree as follow:

“Now, what are the most urgent problems facing our government? First, the famine. It is the most shameful legacy left by the French and Japanese. More than two million Vietnamese have already died of hunger. How shall we save the rest? I suggest we mount a nationwide food production drive. All arable land should be planted with vegetables, sweet potatoes, manioc, and maize. But since a new harvest can be taken in only three or four months, we must immediately start collecting rice to aid the famine-stricken areas. Let all my countrymen - and I'll be the first to do so - give up a meal once every ten days. The saved rice will go to the poor.

Second, illiteracy. One of the ways the French held our people in slavery was by keeping them ignorant. An ignorant nation is a weak nation. Yet it takes only three months to learn to read and write our native Vietnamese. I suggest launching a mass literacy campaign right now.

Third, we should hold general election as soon as possible so as to guarantee the people's democratic rights. All citizens should have the right to elect and be elected irrespective of property status, religion or ethnic background.

Fourth, in trying to weaken our people, the colonialists taught them the use of alcohol and opium, and corrupted them with other vices. We must educate a new type of man who would be devoted to his country. I suggest an education campaign to make all our people hard working, thrifty, honest and truthful, and to root-out the disgraceful leftovers of colonialism.

Fifth, I suggest abolishing the three most humiliating taxes: the poll tax, the market tax, and the river-crossing tax. Opium smoking should be banned.

Sixth, we would proclaim freedom of religious worship"

Can’t we learn above mentioned facts from Uncle Ho and Today’s Vietnam?

People followed Ho Chi Minh’s ideology because he implemented his ideas and ideals in his own life before preaching.

Many countries are having different perspective of socialism. Soviet Union’s brand of Socialism was very much different from the Chinese method led by Mao Tse Tung, who was a ruthless dictator. Kim Jone Un of North Korea formed a regimented society cut off from whole of the world.

Fidel Castro in Cuba implemented Socialism in his own way with compassion and love towards his people. But Ho Chi Minh belief in socialism was making people happy, rich and powerful with equal opportunities to each and every citizen. Ho Chi Minh also said that ideology of Marxism and socialism is dynamic one and should be implemented as per local conditions. USA and its allies tried their best to divide the Vietnam in North and South but failed measurably because of the leadership of Ho Chi Minh and his comrades who fought with committed ideology.

In context with Covid 19, Vietnam and its people, today, combated and succeeded in controlling the contagious and most dangerous virus of the Covid 19 Noble Corona. It has set an example for the countries of the world including USA.

Today we need the unity of oppressed and suppressed people under the able leadership inspired by Uncle Ho’s ideology and its implementation. To establish a society based on Justice, Equality and Development., a long way to go. People in almost every third world countries in Asia and Africa, even in South Korea, which is a developed country to some extent, people at the bottom line are still fighting for a dignified life. Though China is called People’s Republic of China but it is under the control of one person Mr. Xi Jinping, Who is appointed as the President and Secretary of communist Party of China for life long. In the name of history they are challenging the sovereignty of neighboring countries including India, and trying to capture East Sea claiming it as their area by blocking the East sea depriving the sovereign rights of many countries.

In this global scenario particularly in Asia here we need President Ho’s ideologies and its implementation according to changed circumstances in the particular country. The basic idea must be peace, friendship , happiness and development.

Long live Ho Chi Minh! Long live his ideology!

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