Some turn to Gandhi

Washington DC: Even as US President George W Bush was pledging to the nation that he will bring Al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden to justice, a small rally held at the historic Lincoln Memorial in the capital reminded America of the greatest weapon to emerge in the 20th century — Gandhi.

The peace rally, organised by the US-headquartered MK Gandhi Institute for Non Violence (MKGINV), was held on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of 9/11 and also the 100th anniversary of the Mahatma’s non-violence campaign against racial discrimination in South Africa.

It was attended by a few hundred people that included peace activists, religious leaders and the common citizens.

The rally was also attended by US lawmakers, all of whom pledged to tread the path of non violence shown by Gandhi. Congressman John Lewis, a contemporary of racism activist Martin Luther King Jr, criticized President Bush’s initiatives for the war on terror saying that, “We should realise that violence is obsolete as a tool of our foreign policy.”

He pledged to push non violence as an instrument for foreign policy. “I call upon all the nations of the world to push lay down their instruments of violence and war,” he said.

MKGINV founder and Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson Arun Gandhi, said that this is the right time to adopt Gandhiji’s policies. “He showed us the path to peace 100 years ago,” he said. “We have to stop this madness and the only way is to adopt non-violence.”

Another Indophile and Congressman Chris van Hollen said that it is only appropriate that we remember Gandhi’s teachings on a solemn occasion like the anniversary of 9/11, a defining moment of our time. “Gandhi confronted injustice head on with his peace activism and non violence. It is time we learned from him, and inspire a whole new generation.”