News Analysis India

Tag: Mahatma Gandhi

  • PM Modi pays tributes to Gandhi, Shastri

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary and urged everyone to purchase khadi and handicrafts products as a tribute to him.

    He also fondly remembered India’s second prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, whose birth anniversary also falls on October 2, noting that he is admired across the country for his simplicity and decisiveness.

    In tributes to Gandhi, Prime Minister Modi tweeted, “Paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on Gandhi Jayanti . This Gandhi Jayanti is even more special because India is marking Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. May we always live up to Bapu’s ideals. I also urge you all to purchase Khadi and handicrafts products as a tribute to Gandhi Ji.”

    In homage to Shastri, he said, “Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji is admired all across India for his simplicity and decisiveness. His tough leadership at a very crucial time of our history will always be remembered. Tributes to him on his Jayanti.”

    The prime minister also shared some glimpses from his gallery in the ‘Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya’ in Delhi, which showcases Shastri’s life journey and accomplishments. Modi also posted audio clips of his tributes to the two great leaders made on different occasions earlier.

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary and urged everyone to purchase khadi and handicrafts products as a tribute to him.

    He also fondly remembered India’s second prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, whose birth anniversary also falls on October 2, noting that he is admired across the country for his simplicity and decisiveness.

    In tributes to Gandhi, Prime Minister Modi tweeted, “Paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on Gandhi Jayanti . This Gandhi Jayanti is even more special because India is marking Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. May we always live up to Bapu’s ideals. I also urge you all to purchase Khadi and handicrafts products as a tribute to Gandhi Ji.”

    In homage to Shastri, he said, “Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji is admired all across India for his simplicity and decisiveness. His tough leadership at a very crucial time of our history will always be remembered. Tributes to him on his Jayanti.”

    The prime minister also shared some glimpses from his gallery in the ‘Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya’ in Delhi, which showcases Shastri’s life journey and accomplishments. Modi also posted audio clips of his tributes to the two great leaders made on different occasions earlier.

  • Johnson becomes first UK PM to visit Sabarmati Ashram, calls Gandhi extraordinary man

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: Visiting British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday termed Mahatma Gandhi an “extraordinary man” who mobilised the principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for better.

    Johnson became the first prime minister of the UK to visit the Sabarmati Ashram here, the place from where Gandhi led India’s struggle for freedom from the British colonial rule for more than a decade.

    In fact, the Tory politician is also the first British prime minister to visit Gujarat post 1947.

    “It is an immense privilege to come to the ashram of this extraordinary man, and to understand how he mobilised such simple principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for better,” Johnson wrote in the visitors’ book at the Gandhi ashram.

    “It is an immense privilege to come to the Ashram of this extraordinary man, and to understand how he mobilised such simple principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for the better”: UK PM Boris Johnson’s message at Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad pic.twitter.com/z9Gj6FrB52
    — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2022
    While the British PM was effusive in his praise for the Mahatma, during the freedom struggle such praise for Gandhi from Britain’s ruling class was rare.

    Winston Churchill famously called Gandhi a “half- naked fakir” as the latter opposed sending Indian soldiers to fight for Britain in the Second World War and launched the Quit India movement in 1942. The Mahatma’s call to use the charkha (spinning wheel) and boycott foreign goods including cloth hit the textile industry in Manchester.

    Charkha became a very potent symbol of the anti-colonial struggle. During his visit, prime minister Johnson tried his hand at the charkha at Hriday Kunj, the hut where Gandhi lived. A replica of charkha was also presented to him.

    The Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust also gifted two books to him. One of the books was “Guide to London”, an unpublished book which consists of Gandhi’s suggestions on how to live in London.

    The other book was “The Spirit’s Pilgrimage”, autobiography of Mirabehn or Madeleine Slade, Gandhi’s British-born follower. Johnson is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Friday.

  • Hate Speech: Chhattisgarh cops file a 50-page challan against Seer Kalicharan

    Express News Service

    RAIPUR: The Raipur police has finally filed a 50-page challan against the controversial Seer Kalicharan in the court of chief judicial magistrate (CGM), a police officer said on Wednesday.

    The police have been investigating the case against the religious guru who is in Raipur central jail for the last 91 days, for his alleged defamatory remarks against Mahatma Gandhi and admiring his assassin Nathuram Godse. The Hindu priest from Maharashtra also justified the act of killing Gandhi from the stage of Dharam Sansad organised in Chhattisgarh capital on December 26 last year.

    After an FIR was lodged against Kalicharan Maharaj in Raipur, the state police arrested him from a lodge in Khajuraho (MP).

    The Raipur police had slapped IPC Section 124-A (sedition), 153A (creating enmity between two groups), 295A (deliberate malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings), 505(1)(b) (cause, fear or alarm to the public) against the Seer.

  • Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of rural development should be fulfilled: PM Narendra Modi

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday invoked Mahatma Gandhi, saying his dream of rural development should be fulfilled as India celebrates 75 years of Independence.

    On a visit to his home state a day after BJP stormed back to power in Uttar Pradesh, and also retained Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa, Modi addressed over one lakh representatives from the three tiers of the Panchayati Raj institutions in the state at the Panchayat Mahasammelan.

    Earlier in the day, he held a roadshow in the capital of poll-bound Gujarat. Villages need to be self-reliant and strong, Modi said, and gave goals to village representatives for overall development of rural centres.

    “Gujarat is the land of Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi) and Sardar Patel. Bapu always talked about rural development, self-reliant villages. Today, as we are marking ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, we must fulfil Bapu’s dream of rural development.A robust Panchayati Raj infrastructure is key to fulfilling the dream of Gram Swaraj. All the panchayat members and sarpanchs are working towards achieving the objective,” he said.

    Mahatma Gandhi always spoke of rural development, self-reliance and strong villages, Modi said.

  • Hindu seer Kalicharan Maharaj denied bail for praising Godse, finds support from right-wing group

    Express News Service

    RAIPUR/CHANDIGARH: A court in Raipur on Friday rejected the bail petition filed by lawyers of Hindu seer Kalicharan Maharaj, who will be in judicial custody till January 13. He found some support nonetheless, with a Hindu group in Gurugram taking out a march demanding his release.

    Kalicharan was arrested for making derogatory remarks against Mahatma Gandhi and praising his assassin Nathuram Godse at a Dharam Sansad in Raipur on December 26.

    The bail application was moved before the court of judicial magistrate first class, where Judge Chetna Thakur remanded him to judicial custody for two weeks. Further hearing of his case would be held in the sessions court owing to the sedition charge the accused is facing. 

    In Gurugram, a right wing Hindu group led by its leader Kulbhushan Bhardwaj demanded Kalcharan be released and shouted slogans saying “Godse amar rahe (long live Godse)”.

    Members of the group gathered opposite the residence of the Deputy Commissioner and marched towards the Mini Secretariat raising slogans, “Sadhu-aanto ka apman nahi sahega Hindustan (seers should not be insulted).”  

    After reaching the Mini Secretariat, they submitted a memorandum demanding Kalicharan’s release and arrest of AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi for making derogatory remarks against the police. They also said any policeman arresting Owaisi will be rewarded Rs 22 lakh.

    “He had insulted police officials recently at an election rally in Uttar Pradesh. He had said the police should remember that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not always be there (to protect them),” said Bhardwaj.

  • Hate speech: Chhattisgarh Police arrest Hindu seer Kalicharan Maharaj from MP

    By PTI

    RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Police on Thursday arrested Hindu religious leader Kalicharan Maharaj from neighbouring Madhya Pradesh in connection with his alleged derogatory remarks against Mahatma Gandhi, an official said.

    Acting on a specific input, the Raipur police apprehended the seer from a rented room near Bageshwar Dham, located around 25 km from Khajuraho town in MP, Raipur Superintendent of Police Prashant Agrawal told PTI.

    He will be brought here via road route by Thursday evening, the official said.

    On Sunday, an FIR was registered against Kalicharan Maharaj in Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur for allegedly using derogatory words against Mahatma Gandhi.

    A case was also registered against him at Akola in Maharashtra on Monday in this connection.

    During the conclusion of the two-day ‘dharma sansad’ (religious parliament) in Raipur on Sunday evening, the seer had allegedly used abusive words against the Father of the Nation, and asked people to elect a staunch Hindu leader as the head of the government in order to protect the religion.

  • Congress taught wrong history to glorify Gandhi, Nehru and Indira: Shivraj

    Chouhan thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for declaring 'Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas' to mark the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, a tribal icon.

  • Assam Congress files police complaint against Kangana for remarks against Mahatma Gandhi

    By PTI

    GUWAHATI: The Congress in Assam on Thursday filed a police complaint against actress Kangana Ranaut for allegedly making defamatory statements against Mahatma Gandhi and the freedom movement.

    The complaint, filed at the Dispur police station in Guwahati, urged the police to register an FIR against her under sections related to sedition, claiming that she insulted the Independence that India got in 1947.

    The police, however, is yet to register a case against the actress, who recently was conferred the Padma Shri award.

    Days after her “India’s Independence in 1947 was bheek (alms)” remarks triggered a row, Ranaut on November 16 claimed that Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh got no support from Mahatma Gandhi and went on to mock his mantra of ‘ahimsa’ (non-violence) by saying that offering another cheek gets you “bheek” not freedom.

    It is a grave insult to martyrs and a seditious statement, the Congress claimed in its complaint and asserted that freedom was a birthright of every Indian and it was achieved due to the sacrifice of thousands of martyrs including Mahatma Gandhi.

    The party alleged that Ranaut’s statements have hurt the Indian people and disrespected freedom fighters of Assam as well as India.

    Ranaut had also declared that freedom came in 2014 when the Narendra Modi-led government came to power at the Centre.

  • ‘Even PM is inspired by him’: Delhi BJP leader slams Kangana Ranaut’s remarks against Mahatma Gandhi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Delhi BJP spokesperson Nighat Abbass on Wednesday slammed actor Kangana Ranaut over her series of controversial statements against Mahatma Gandhi, saying even Prime Minister Narendra Modi is inspired by the Father of the Nation and such remarks “defame the country at the international level”.

    Ranaut on Tuesday claimed that Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh got no support from Mahatma Gandhi and went on to mock his mantra of Ahimsa by saying that offering another cheek gets you ‘bheek’ not freedom.

    “I want to know what Kangana Ranaut wants to become by saying absurd things about him. By saying such absurd things she is regularly raising questions on the freedom struggle and is hurting the people of the country. I believe she is not just hurting people of the country but defaming India at international level,” said Abbass in a video posted on Twitter.

    In making the ‘bheek’ comment, Ranaut wound the clock back to last week when she described India’s Independence as ‘bheek’, or alms, and declared that freedom came in 2014, when the Narendra Modi-led government came to power.

    In a series of posts on Instagram, Ranaut this time targeted Mahatma Gandhi and said ‘choose your heroes wisely’.

    “Those are the ones who taught us, ‘If someone slaps you offer another cheek for one more slap’ and that is how you will get Aazadi. That’s not how one gets Aazadi, one can only get ‘bheekh’ like that. Choose your heros wisely (sic),” the 34-year-old actor said.

    ALSO READ | Kangana Ranaut demands strict action against Vir Das after ‘I come from two Indias’ monologue

    According to Abbass, both the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, who”is and will always be the Father of the Nation”.

    “Mahatma Gandhi has been given the Father of the Nation status by the people of the country. Whose ideals have kept the Bharatiyata alive in the country, Whose thinking has inspired our Prime Minister Narendra Bhai Modi also,” she added.

    Earlier, Ranaut’s ‘azaadi’ statement at an event organised by a news channel last week, just two days after she was presented the Padma Shri by President Ram Nath Kovind, saw politicians, historians, academics, fellow actors and others lashing out at her for views with many demanding withdrawal of her award.

    Then another Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor called Ranaut’s remarks an “insult to the sacrifice of freedom fighters”, even demanding a judicial action against her.

  • Nathuram Godse’s bust installed by right-wing outfit demolished by Cong leaders in Gujarat; seven held

    By PTI

    JAMNAGAR: A day after members of a right-wing outfit installed a bust of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse in Jamnagar in Gujarat, city Congress leaders demolished it on Tuesday, which led to the arrest of seven persons from both sides on charges of promoting enmity, said police.

    Godse’s bust was installed on Monday in an open ground of a small temple-cum-ashram on the city’s outskirts by members of the Hindu Sena, a right-wing outfit led by Jamnagar-based lawyer Pratik Bhatt, said inspector of Jamnagar ‘A’ division police station, Mahavir Jalu.

    Bhatt is among those arrested, he said.

    ​ALSO READ | MP: Hindu Mahasabha to make Godse’s statue with Ambala jail soil

    “Upon learning about the installation of Godse’s bust, president of Jamnagar city Congress Digubha Jadeja reached the spot along with party colleague Dhaval Nanda and demolished it. Based on complaints submitted by Bhatt and Jadeja, we have lodged cross-complaints under section 153A of the IPC for promoting enmity between different groups,” said Jalu.

    While Bhatt claimed Jadeja and Nanda removed a shawl with Shri Ram printed on it from the bust and threw it away in garbage after breaking the sculpture, Jadeja, in his complaint, claimed the Hindu Sena’s act has hurt sentiments of Gandhians and Congress members.

    ALSO READ | Congress slams those glorifying Godse, says doing so with BJP ‘patronage’

    “People from both sides were booked under section 153A of the IPC. On the complaint of Jadeja, we have arrested Bhatt and four others. On the other side, Jadeja and Nanda were held following a cross-complaint received under the same section,” said Jalu.

    In a statement, the Hindu Sena has claimed since the local administration did not give any favourable response about its demand to install Godse’s bust at a public place in the city, they installed the sculpture in the temple premises “to instill a sense of patriotism among today’s youth”.

    In a video shared by Jadeja, he is seen demolishing the bust, saying it was installed by some “anti-nationals” and he was compelled to dismantle it because “the law” was not doing anything against such people.