Gandhi Jayanti: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi reflects on Bapu's journey of "love, peace, harmony"

New Delhi [India], October 2 (ANI): As the nation celebrates the 155th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi reflected on the legacy of the Mahatma and his profound impact on sociey.

"Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi had explained to the world the importance of travel along with precious ideas like truth, non-violence, satyagraha. He believed that to understand the pain and suffering of our people, it is very important to go among them and understand them. After returning from South Africa, Gandhi ji travelled all over India. Apart from Champaran Satyagraha, Dandi March and Noakhali, Gandhi ji kept travelling throughout his life. It is said that in his entire life, Bapu walked an average of 18 kilometres every day. In this much travelling, he could have circled the earth twice," Priyanka Gandhi wrote in post on X.

On this significant day, Priyanka Gandhi highlighted that the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is on the 'Vijay Sankalp Yatra' in Haryana, a state with historical ties to Gandhi. "On 10 April 1919, he was first arrested at Palwal railway station in Haryana, when he was going to Punjab to protest against the Rowlatt Act. In 1921, Gandhiji came to Rohtak in a bullock cart. Here he laid the foundation of a school so that children could get education. He also came to Ambala many times. Here, inspired by him, hundreds of women broke the salt law under the leadership of Vidyavati ji. After independence, he came to Panipat twice. Inspired by his ideas, Panipat became the center of industry," Priyanka wrote on X.

Reflecting on Gandhi's efforts to unite communities, she said, "On the morning of 19 December 1947, in Gandhi's prayer meeting, Mewat leader Chaudhary Yasin Khan told him that thousands of Muslims of Mewat were ready to go to Pakistan. When Gandhi reached Ghasaeda village of Mewat, a crowd of thousands of people gathered there to welcome him. People were very scared. Gandhi talked to them, assured them and then the Muslims decided not to go"

"The message of every journey of Gandhiji or rather his entire life journey was love, peace, harmony, freedom, equality, self-reliance and self-respect. Today, when various efforts are being made every day to divide the society, then realizing these ideas is the true duty towards the country and this is the true tribute to Bapu," she added.

Extending wishes on the occasion to fellow country men, Congress party President Mallikarjun Kharge said that today we are fighting challenges to Mahatma Gandhi's ideas, which are being countered by fellow countrymen.

"The thoughts and ideals of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, who showed the path of peace to the entire world through the highest values of truth, non-violence and satyagraha, the architect of the Indian freedom struggle, are always inspiring for us. Today, we are countering the challenges his ideas are facing by following Bapu's principles," Kharge wrote in a post on X.

Born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar town of Gujarat, Mahatma Gandhi or Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi adopted a non-violent resistance and was at the forefront of the freedom struggle against colonial British rule with utmost patience. This led to India finally achieving its independence in 1947. (ANI)