London: External Affairs Minister S M
Krishna on Saturday underlined the contemporary relevance of the
Gandhian philosophy, saying it had inspired some of the
greatest leaders of our generation.
Paying floral tributes and releasing a souvenir on
Mahatma Gandhi, to mark the 60th anniversary of the Indian
Republic at the Gandhi statue in Tavistock Square here, he said
"Gandhiji fought for truth, justice, equality and equity."
Gandhi was also inspirational to several icons like
Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr and John F Kennedy,
Krishna said.
"Kennedy believed in Mahatma Gandhi's teachings.
It is with a sense of great respect that we have gathered here
to pay our tributes, our respect to a great human being, a
great leader of mankind."
Recalling his meeting with the great leader, Krishna
said, "I had the greatest fortune of meeting the Mahatma in
1946. As a teenager, I went, as part of a delegation led by
Ramakrishna Mission Swamiji to attend Gandhiji's prayer at the
Birla Mandir."
After meeting the Mahatma, Krishna, a teenager, was so
impressed with him that he handed over his ear rings to him,
sources said.
Gandhi, the apostle of peace, fought for certain
principles and inalienable rights of mankind but never hated
anybody, Krishna said. "He wanted a balanced, inclusive and
just society."
PTI
First Published: Saturday, January 30, 2010, 20:09