WASHINGTON: “Join Friends In India To Celebrate 152nd Birthday Of Mahatma Gandhi”: US Official

WASHINGTON: Mahatma Gandhi’s message of
non-violence, respect and tolerance matters today, maybe more than it ever has,
a top US official has said as glowing tributes to the global peace icon were
paid across America on the occasion of his 152nd birth anniversary.

“We
join our friends in India and around the world to celebrate the 152nd birthday
of Mahatma Gandhi,” US Secretary of State Tony Blinken tweeted on
Saturday.

He
recalled the remarks of President Joe Biden a week ago during his joint media
appearance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Oval Office of the White
House.

As the
President said, “We’re all reminded that his message of non-violence,
respect, (and) tolerance matters today, maybe more than it ever has,”
Blinken tweeted.

India’s
Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu paid respect to Bapu at the Gandhi
memorial in the American Capital.

“The
life and legacy of #Gandhiji continue to influence and inspire generations in
India, the US and the world,” he tweeted.

Early
this week, in the run-up to Gandhi Jayanti students from the prestigious Howard
University, paid respects at the Gandhi Statue and had an interaction at the
Embassy.

“Happy
Birthday to the man who taught us that “in a gentle way, you can shake the
world”,” said Howard University’s Bunche International Center, which
has organised a lecture on Gandhi and Dr King next week featuring Sandhu as the
keynote speaker.

“On
what would have been Gandhi’s 152nd birthday, may we honour him by finding
ways, big and small, to live out his lessons of pluralism and peace,” said
Indian American Congressman Ro Khanna.

While
Mahatma Gandhi never travelled to the United States, it is perhaps the only
country that has the largest number of statues and busts of India”s father of
the nation. The teachings and philosophy of the apostle of peace have deeply
influenced America”s civil rights movement, in particular, that led by Martin
Luther King Jr.

Born on
this day in 1869, Mohandas Gandhi devoted most of his life to working for
dignity and equality for all people, said America”s National Mall and Memorial
Services. “An important influence on Dr. King and Nelson Mandela for his
philosophy of peaceful resistance, Gandhi is honoured by a statue in Washington
DC near the Embassy of India,” it said.

Observing
the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, an inspiration for non-violent movements for
social change and justice across the world, wrote South Campus Commons of the
University of Maryland.

The US
Capitol Historic Society said that on this day in 1869, human rights champion
Gandhi was born. “His example of nonviolent protest inspired Martin Luther
King Je and the Civil Rights Movement. “To honour Gandhi”s impact,
Congress sponsored his memorial at the ”” Indian Embassy in the US, it said.

Hundreds
of followers of Mahatma Gandhi held prayer meetings and paid floral tributes to
the apostle of peace in cities across the United States.

The
Indian Consulate in New York led by its Consul General Randhir celebrated
Gandhi Jayanti at Union Square Park, in the Big Apple. Consul General, members
of the Indian community and American friends paid floral tributes to the
Mahatma and recalled his message of peace and non-violence.

Gandhi
Foundation USA and Consulate General of India, Atlanta organized an event at
The King Center in Atlanta to pay reverential homage to Gandhi. Gandhi Jayanti
was also celebrated at the Mahatma Gandhi Statue in Hermann Park, Houston where
city mayor Sylvester Turner and Congressmen Sheila Jackson Lee joined the
Indian American community in paying tribute to Gandhi.

The local
community organized a “Walk for Peace” in Houston, Texas and San
Francisco in California. The Indian Consulate in SanFrancisco organised a
special lecture by Dr. Shobhana Radhakrishna on “Mahatma Gandhi”s Global
Pursuit for Truth, Non-Violence and Peace”.