United Nations, Oct 3 (IANS) Stressing that Gandhian way was a real, live option for ending conflicts and inequalities around the world, Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna hoped Gandhian truth and action would be embraced by all.
Presiding over a special event hosted by the Permanent Mission of India to United Nations to commemorate the International Day of Non Violence Tuesday, he also expressed the hope that leading global multilateral fora, such as the United Nations, would continue to be among its torchbearers.
Delivering the keynote address, P A Nazareth, author of "Gandhi's Outstanding Leadership", cited the transformation that inspired Mahatma Gandhi following his experiences in South Africa while taking on the British Empire, which he most successfully did, just by the sheer power of 'truth force'.
Recalling Gandhiji's message to the United Nations, he called on all members of the UN, especially the P5, to "shed their belief in the efficacy of war and its accompanying terrible deception and fraud".
Welcoming the gathering, Hardeep Singh Puri, Permanent Representative of India to UN underscored the increasing relevance for Gandhian ideals by citing the high number of references made to Mahatma Gandhi during the ongoing high level debate during the 67th UN General Assembly session.
President Barack Obama in his address to the UN, he recalled, had said : "It is time to heed the words of Gandhi: 'Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit'."
The President of the General Assembly, Vuk Jeremic, urged the international community to "keep trying to think and act like the Mahatma - and to apply the philosophy of non violence to the decisions we make".
The UN General Assembly had in June 2007 adopted a resolution with a record number of 143 co-sponsors declaring Oct 2, birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, as International Day of Non Violence.
Jai Khanna
Hill Krishnan
Papa C J
