Message From the President on the Eve of Gandhi Jayanti

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has issued the following message to the nation on the eve of Gandhi Jayanti.

In his message the President has said, "Gandhi Jayanti is a day when we should rededicate ourselves to Bapu’s ideals of non-violence, peace and tolerance.

Gandhiji was an extraordinary revolutionary with rare farsightedness. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru said on the sad demise of Gandhiji, "The light is gone and yet it will shine for a thousand years”.

The ideals that Gandhiji espoused are part of our collective living heritage. This heritage is deeply imbued with the idea of being ‘one people.’ It is a celebration of our diversity, our plural culture, our many languages, religions and different modes of life. This was the idea that moved those who strove for India’s freedom. Our deep and abiding commitment to democracy stems from this idea. We continue to be guided by these ideals. We remain committed to them not because it is our past, but because it is also our future.

On this occasion, I urge all citizens to imbibe wisdom from the valued teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and strive to translate Bapu’s ideals into action. May his vision lead us through the challenges of the present and enable us build a strong and resurgent India”.

This release issued at 1240 hrs.