Gandhian ideals motivate millions across the world

Warangal: Rich tributes were paid to Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri, marking their birth anniversaries across the district on Monday.

Both governmental agencies and political parties organised different programmes to remember the contributions of the national leaders made to the country. At Congress Bhavan in Hanamkonda, the district Congress president N Rajender Reddy and others offered floral tributes to Gandhi and Shastri.

Speaking on the occasion, he said the ideals preached and practiced by Mahatma Gandhi have been motivating crores of people across the world. He had an exceptional and sympathetic approach towards human life and his words hold great significance even today.

Gandhi was an illustrious personage in India’s freedom struggle. His principle of ahimsa (non-violence) has inspired several leaders of the world like Nelson Mandela and others worldwide. The United Nations declared October 2 as the International Day of Non-Violence honouring Gandhi’s ahimsa philosophy. The current generation must draw inspiration from his ideals for a better India, Rajender Reddy noted.

At Warangal Rural district collectorate, Swachhata Diwas was celebrated marking Gandhi Jayanti. District Collector Prashanth J Patil said efforts were being made to announce the district ‘open defecation free’ (ODF) by constructing individual latrines in all villages by next Gandhi Jayanti.

So far 61 villages in the district have achieved ODF status, he added. On the day, the Deputy Chief Minister K Srihari, MLA D Vinay Bhasker, Mayor N Narender, KUDA Cchairman M Yadav Reddy, Commissioner of Police G Sudheer Babu and others garlanded Gandhi’s statue at Public Gardens.

At Mahabubabad, a social service organisation ‘Disha’ conducted Swachh Bharat programme at Thatiya Thanda near the town as a mark of respect to Gandhi. Its founder V Gurunadha Rao said Gandhi worked throughout his life to promote secularism, ahimsa and cleanliness in the country.

Swachh Bharat helps to achieve a clean India as dreamed by Mahatma Gandhi. Every student takes it up in true spirit and maintain cleanliness not only at their residences, but schools and at their villages as well, he noted.

An engineering student of Thatitya Thanda, B Vinod Kumar, was felicitated for travelling from Mahabubabad to Kanyakumari on bicycle to promote eco-friendly habits among the youth. A teacher TV Ramnarsaiah, Youth Club member B Mahesh and others were present on the occasion.