We are celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the father of India. He was a visionary leader who changed history. No words can describe his greatness. He gave up his comfortable living in service of his country, and fought for the rights of people from every caste and creed.
His compassion and sympathy for the downtrodden is exemplary. He fought for equality with the upper castes much against the wrath and hate for his efforts by hard core fundamentalists. He fought for those without equal rights, the people on the lower end of the caste system. They were forced by created circumstances to live in squalor, they were denied education and normal jobs.
Besides the above, Mahatma Gandhi took up the uphill task of throwing out the British from India. His relentless hard work and willing acceptance of torture and imprisonment throughout his life, towards this goal, are worth taking lessons from. His message of truth, nonviolence, tolerance, harmony and peace need to be remembered by present-day politicians.
Today, many are divided on recognising his lifetime struggle. Some say non-violence is the only contribution he made. Credit is being given to those who did not lend their hand in getting the British to leave India. But without Gandhi’s struggle for peace and his sacrifice, India would never have achieved freedom.
- The reader is a resident of Dubai
