GUWAHATI: Union Health Minister and president of the Gandhi Global Family (GGF) Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said Gandhiji’s ideals were the perfect tool to eliminate the multiple ills afflicting modern society.
Calling upon all people to respect and follow Gandhiji’s path, he added that people must be ready to make supreme sacrifice for what they believed in as the great leader had done.
Delivering the keynote address on the inaugural day of the two-day All India Gandhian’s Summit, coinciding with Gandhiji’s Martyrdom Day on Monday, Mr Azad said the ideals exhibited by the Mahatma will have universal significance even for thousands of years to come. “Till there is land, water and air, Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals will hold significance for mankind. Especially in the field of politics, his ideals must be pursued,” he added.
Narrating the various events that changed and shaped Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi into Mahatma Gandhi, the Union minister said, “Gandhi became ‘Mahatma’ as he was able to challenge and defeat the British forces through his non-violent means and by uniting the people against the foreign rule.”
Mr Azad also pointed that Gandhiji was a great social reformer and tried to erase differences of religions and castes and had been successful in bringing about communal harmony.
Blaming the RSS for Gandhiji’s assassination, he said the Mahatma’s attempts at bridging social imbalances did not go down well with the RSS and its member Nathuram Godse gunned down Gandhiji finally.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, speaking at the function, underlined how Gandhiji’s zeal to serve humanity has inspired generations.
“Gandhiji’s relevance is even more in present times. His ideals of service to humanity has gained more relevance with time,” he said. Mr Gogoi added that his government continued to draw lessons from Gandhiji’s ideals and planned schemes that would target rural development just as Gandhiji had envisaged.
Several Gandhians from across the country as well as abroad are attending the programme here, which has been jointly organised by the Gandhi Global Family and the Assam government. (UNI)
