Gandhian leaders drawn from the southern States resolved to focus their activities on new areas in a changing world at a two-day conference organised at the Gandhi Museum here by the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi last week.
The leaders, who deliberated on the challenges facing people, decided to focus on four thrust areas — education, gram swaraj/panchayat raj, health with emphasis on yoga and organic farming and religious harmony.
In his inaugural address, P. Gopinathan Nair, president, All India Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, pointed out that education was now associated with “procurement of jobs.” The conference, he said, was held in a favourable situation, when people all over the world had come to accept some of the basic propositions of Mahatma Gandhi, to evolve a series of programmes with man as the supreme consideration.
Neighbour’s religion
He recalled how Mahatma Gandhi wanted a man to fight against his ego and study and internalise the great principles of his religion. He should also try to be familiar with at least the foremost principles of his neighbour’s religion.
“If this much is done, the animosity against religions will go.”
Ramachandra Rahi, secretary, said that training camps for constructive workers should be held in every village towards realising the central goal of ‘gram swaraj.’
He also called for a renewed focus on Shanti Sena, which had played a crucial role in restoring order during communal riots in the past. K. M. Natarajan, chairman, Tamil Nadu Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, drew attention to the recent “unwarranted attacks” on Gandhi by leading personalities and said that it was the bounden duty of Gandhians to place before the public a correct picture of his message.
He also emphasised the need for Gandhi Smarak Nidhi to work closely with other organisations involved in Gandhian work.
Education for what
According to a release from Mr. Natarajan, H. Sreenivasiah, chairman, Karnataka Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, insisted that education should teach people to live and not to earn. Vivekanandan from Maharashtra reposed faith in the ability of natural farming to bring down input costs and protect the environment and called for a ‘chemical-farming-free- India.’ K. Ranga Rao, joint secretary, Andhra Pradesh Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, and Sanjoy Singh from Madhya Pradesh addressed the delegates. M. P. Vasimalai, Executive Director, Dhan Foundation, called for creation of spaces for new generation Gandhians.
