Indore: Expressing concern over people forgetting Mahatma Gandhi`s ideals and remember him in a customary manner on the birth anniversary, his grand daughter,
Sumitra Gandhi Kulkarni said that people should practice his teachings in their lives instead of just eulogizing him on his birthday.
"People of this country are slowly forgetting Mahatma Gandhi and engaged in just remembering him in a customary manner," the 80-year-old Kulkarni said from Bangalore on the eve of Gandhiji`s birth anniversary tomorrow.
She said recently she read in a newspaper that when an eighth or ninth class student was asked, who was Mahatma Gandhi, the kid replied "Sonia Gandhi`s father". Kulkarni, the former Rajya Sabha member, said that people forget Gandhiji`s ideals soon after taking part in the customary meetings and get engrossed in their day-to-day work.
However, she said that she has no objection to the use of term `Gandhigiri` by the people to oppose `dadagiri`. She also expressed concern over the deterioration of Khadi in the country and added that the spin used for weaving khadi could still be relevant in the country.
The Gandhian philosophy of non-violence is still relevant given the fact that the other means to stop violence have failed to yield the desired results, she said. She was critical about promoting Gandhi as a brand in the country as by taking his name people also do their own publicity and felt relieved that at least liquor was not being sold under the Gandhi brand.
On the Ayodhya dispute, she said that if the issue of Ram Janambhoomi-Babri masjid was left with local people, they would have solved it in 15 days.
PTI
