The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu unveiled the 12 feet high statue of Mahatma Gandhi and inaugurated ‘Gandhi Vatika’ at Gandhi Darshan, New Delhi today (September 4, 2023).
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that Mahatma Gandhi is a boon for the entire world community. His ideals and values have given a new direction to the whole world. He showed the path of non-violence at a time when the world was suffering from many kinds of hatred and discord during the period of world wars. She added that Gandhiji's experiment with truth and non-violence gave him the status of a great human. She shared that his statues are installed in many countries and people from across the world believe in his ideals. Giving examples of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama, she said that many great leaders considered the path of truth and non-violence shown by Gandhiji as the path of world welfare. She emphasised that by following the path shown by him, the goal of world peace can be achieved.
The President said that Gandhiji laid great emphasis on sanctity in public as well as in personal life. He believed that violence can be faced through non-violence only on the basis of moral strength. She underlined that without self-confidence, one cannot act with persistence in adverse circumstances. She stated that in today's fast-changing and competitive world, there is great need for self-confidence and temperance.
The President said that Gandhiji's ideals and values are very relevant for our country and society. She urged all to make efforts so that every citizen, especially the youth and children, read as much as possible about Gandhiji and imbibe his ideals. She said that the role of Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti and other such institutions becomes very important in this regard. She said that they can contribute significantly in building the India of Gandhiji's dreams by making the youth and children more aware of Gandhiji's life teachings through books, films, seminars, cartoons and other media.
