As the United Nations International Day of Non-violence was observed worldwide, so was the 146th birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, known as The Mahatma on the local shores.At a ceremony hosted by the High Commission of India in the Promenade Gardens,Cheap Jerseys China, the life of “the apostle of Non-violence” and poster boy for the Indian Independence movement was celebrated with reflections galore.Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday (Gandhi Jayanti) is a gazetted holiday in India. President David Granger, Chief Guest of the Guyana event, in his reflections, said that the Mahatma’s message remains relevant even today on the local shores.President Granger said that Guyanese will forever remember Gandhi for his humanity and as a citizen of this world, whose example has inspired generations, and will continue to inspire nations.“The Mahatma was a preeminent, political and spiritual leader in India. He celebrated the most important role in India’s independence movement. The Mahatma developed a technique of non-violent agitation,Cheap Authentic NFL Jersey, which he called the Satyagraha. He is known for his non-violence civil disobedience in India and also in South Africa. ”Notably, the Head of State said, is the fact that Guyana is a beneficiary of many of Gandhi’s efforts. “His activities include the initiation of the non-cooperation movement in 1922, the ‘Satyagraha’ assault march which started on March 12, 1930. These are important milestones in the independence of India, one of the pioneers of the post wars independence movement, of which Guyana itself is a beneficiary,” he said.The President added that the Mahatma continues to be remembered globally for his contributions, not only towards the Indian freedom struggle,Cheap Jerseys, pointing out that through his efforts not only did India gain independence,NFL Jerseys Clearance, but it inspired a worldwide anti-colonial movement.It is for these and many more reasons, the President said, that Gandhi is rightly revered locally and internationally for his struggle against injustice, intolerance and indignity.India’s High Commissioner,Nike NFL Jerseys China, Venkatachalam Mahalingam, said, “Gandhi who is considered to be the father of the Indian nation, no longer belongs only to India… he belongs to the entire humanity and the world.“His values have become more relevant for today’s society,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, which is infested with regional racial and religious intolerance; giving rise to violence, terrorism and war.”The High Commissioner added that the Mahatma was against the idea of “an eye for an eye” as his policy for non-violence has influenced many international movements to this day.Noting that the day is observed by all Guyanese, especially the descendants of the nearly 240,000 persons of Indian origin who came to Guyana from the sub-continent as indentured immigrant labourers, Granger dubbed Mahatma Gandhi “the pre-eminent political and spiritual leader in India.”Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, known everywhere as Mahatma Gandhi, was born on 2nd October 1869 and was assassinated on 30th January 1948.Also addressing the event was Georgetown’s Mayor Hamilton Green, PPP Member of Parliament Irfaan Ali and businessman Yesu Persaud. |