Thiruvananthapuram | Leaders across the political spectrum in Keralam, including Chief Minister VD Satheesan, on Friday paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary, recalling the relevance of his ideals of truth, non-violence, secularism and communal harmony.
In a Facebook post marking Gandhi Jayanti, Satheesan said, "Gandhi was an idea that transcended caste, religion, class, colour, region and language and had the power to unite people".
"Gandhi is another name for truth. Gandhi is reborn in every experience and every struggle," he said.
The essence of Gandhian philosophy shaped India, while Gandhi had set a timeless example for freedom struggles, movements for survival and anti-fascist struggles across the world, Satheesan said.
Gandhi had also given democratic-minded people across the world a weapon to fight anti-people governments, oppressive laws and suppression, Satheesan said, adding that his ideas continued to remain relevant as a source of light and energy.
State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala in a Facebook post recalled an encounter between Gandhi and a nine-year-old British boy, Paul Roach, who had accompanied his father, a British official, to meet the Mahatma at Sinhagad.
Gandhi spoke to the boy about the charkha and invited him to sit beside him, but the shy child ran away, Chennithala said.
The next day, Gandhi sent him a charkha along with a note saying, "Don’t forget India when you grow up. We’ll always need good Englishmen."
Chennithala said Roach, who later became a noted writer and translator, had recounted the childhood encounter and Gandhi's influence on his life through his memoirs.
Gandhi, who led an uncompromising struggle against British rule, also saw a friend of India in a British child, reflecting his message that fighting injustice did not require hostility towards people, he said.
State Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph said Gandhi had envisioned a society founded on freedom, peace and mutual love.
His life reminded people to stand united despite differences and stand alongside the oppressed, he said, extending Gandhi Jayanti greetings.
Excise Minister M Liju said Gandhi's life remained an extraordinary open book, free from idolisation and imaginary narratives, while recalling Albert Einstein's observation about the Mahatma.
In a Facebook post, Liju said Gandhi's words were more relevant than ever and that society should uphold the message of coexistence amid present-day conflicts.
Gandhi's message of coexistence was also the answer to the challenges facing the country, he said, adding that protecting secularism and other social values was essential to making Gandhi Jayanti meaningful.
State Health Minister K Muraleedharan said Gandhi was a great example of how the life of one individual could guide an entire people.
His messages rooted in truth, non-violence and humanity would continue to guide generations, irrespective of changing times, he said in a Facebook post.
State Higher Education Minister Roji M John said Gandhi transformed India's national movement from elite discussions into a mass struggle that resonated with millions.
The freedom struggle could be viewed as having a before-and-after Gandhi, as he turned resistance into a struggle involving ordinary people, he said.
Gandhi's return to India from Africa at the age of 45 marked a new beginning, with khadi, the charkha and salt becoming symbols of resistance for ordinary people, he said.
His greatest contribution was turning everyday problems into instruments of struggle in a language that ordinary people could understand, John said.
Gandhi had taught the world that democracy succeeded when people became participants in shaping the country's future rather than remaining spectators, he added.
BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar also paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion.
In his Gandhi Jayanti message, Chandrasekhar said Gandhi's vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat had been revived under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
He called upon people to pledge their commitment to buying and supporting Made in India products as the country continued its journey towards Viksit Bharat.
