Is Gandhi relevant today?

BHUBANESWAR: “Now most of the persons not only in India but also in the world are asking in various forums about relevance of Gandhian values in the present society, but the question itself irrelevant. The Gandhian principles won’t die and these are the panacea of most of the social and political disorders,” said the Gandhians here on Wednesday during the Gandhi Samagam organised by the Gandhi Smriti And Darshan Samiti (GSDS) and Vinoba Seva Pratisthan (VSP) on the observance of 90th year of Mahatma Gandhi’s visit and 60th year of Vinoba Bhave’s visit to Odisha.

Attending the congregation, former diplomat Abasar Beuria said the people of the country should start non-cooperation movement against corruption. The people should not co-operate the corrupt persons, which would be the best way to follow Gandhi’s principle, he added. Similarly, former information commissioner of the State Prof Radhamohan said the problems of the country could be solved through Gandhian policy. He inspired the youth mass in his speech for reconstruction of the country to become self-reliant.       

The two-day Gandhi Samagam (a congregation for peace and universal brotherhood) ended here on Wednesday. The freedom fighters, Sarboday leaders and Gandhians were present. At the end of the congregation, the VSP decided to adopt a panchayat to make it a Gandhian model panchayat. They declared the name of Rushda panchayat in Balangir district which would be their first project to make that a Gandhian model panchayat.

Sarboday leader Dr Labanam, Krishna Mohanty, Rajya Sabha MP AV Swamy, freedom fighter Bhabani Charan Patnaik, GSDS director Dr Manimala, VSP President Dr Bhagaban Prakash and VSP secretary Manoj Jena were present. Sarboday leader Banamali Badajena was awarded with Gandhi-Vinoba Shanti Purskar. Among others, Bhagbat Prasad Nanda, Mandar Dharua and Upendra Mahapatra were felicitated in the congregation.