Mahatma’s message more important today”

Manmohan Singh dwells on Gandhiji’s universal message on his 138th birth anniversary
Gandhi Jayanti observed as International Day of Non-Violence
Gandhiji was also a great political leader

NEW DELHI: “Mahatma Gandhi’s message is more important today than ever before because nations across the world are grappling with the threat of conflict, violence and terrorism. As long as there is the temptation to resort to violence, the Mahatma’s message of non-violence will tug at our hearts,” said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Vigyan Bhawan here on Tuesday.
Dr. Singh was speaking on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 138th birth anniversary, which is now celebrated across the world as the International Day of Non-Violence.
The Prime Minister said the Mahatma’s message was universal and timeless and held as much significance today as it did during his lifetime. The message of love and peace, of non-violence and satyagraha, of the equality of all people, of harmony between all religions was a universal message for all societies and peoples.
Dr. Singh said:
“We are proud and grateful that the international community has declared this day as the International Day of Non-Violence. This unanimous decision of the United Nation General Assembly originates in a declaration of the International Conference on Peace, Non-violence and Empowerment.
“The conference commemorating the centenary of the satyagraha movement launched by Gandhiji underscored the universal relevance of his message of non-violence and the fight for truth. We are grateful to all those who supported this idea at the United Nations.
“The ideas that Mahatma Gandhi is best remembered are based on universal ideals. You will agree with me that many ‘isms’ have battled for our minds over this past century but few have succeeded in touching our hearts. Many political ideologies, and movements based on them have come and gone but Gandhiji’s philosophy has stood the test of time, and I believe it will continue to do so as long as humankind seeks peace and equality of all people.”
Dr. Singh said whenever injustice was redressed and freedom won through peaceful means, Gandhiji would always be remembered. “Let us not forget that Gandhiji was not some lofty saint. He was also a great political leader. He was regarded as a Mahatma because he practised what he preached. Because he cared for the poorest of the poor and the weakest of the weak.” Gandhiji believed in Swami Vivekananda’s policy of “Narayana Seva,” service of God through the service of man. This enabled him to see God in all human beings and serve them as though he was serving the Almighty. He reminded the gathering of the words of Albert Einstein, who had said of Gandhiji: “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.”
The Prime Minister released a set of commemorative postage stamps, ‘Satyagraha,’ at the function organised by the Ministry of Culture along with Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti. He administered a pledge ‘India of My Dreams’ as envisaged by Gandhiji to the gathering, which included senior Ministers, members of the diplomatic corps and children. Prior to this function, Dr. Singh flagged off an ‘Ahimsa Divas Yatra’ from the Congress party headquarters to Rajghat.
Lamenting the manner in which the country had forgotten Mahatma Gandhi’s message of non-violence, the Prime Minister sought to underline the power of non-violence and its relevance in today’s world.
At a function in the Central Hall of Parliament, floral tributes were paid to the Father of the Nation and the country’s second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri to mark their birth anniversaries.