Gandhi ji taught us to lead life without fear: LoP Rahul pays tributes to Mahatma

New Delhi, Oct 2 (IANS) The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. Recalling Bapu’s ideals, he called everyone to lead a life without fear.

Sharing a video on his X handle, Rahul Gandhi said, "We should walk on the path of truth, love, compassion and harmony while uniting everyone. Gandhi ji was not just an individual, he was a way of thinking and living. He never feared anything. He taught me that the power of love always overrules the love of power. India was the first country which got Independence through love and compassion."

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also recalled Mahatma Gandhi’s famous teachings, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, and then you win.”

Paying tribute, Kharge wrote on X, "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, is always inspiring for us. Today, we are countering the challenges his ideas are facing by following Bapu's principles. Heartiest greetings of Gandhi Jayanti to all countrymen."

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi also took to her X handle and paid tributes to the Father of the Nation. She wrote, "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 kms every day. In this much travelling, he could have circled the Earth twice,” Priyanka Gandhi stated.

She also said that Mahatma Gandhi also had a deep relationship with Haryana and recollected an old incident.

"On April 10, 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 an education. He also came to Ambala many times. Here, inspired by him, hundreds of women broke the salt law under the leadership of Vidyavati. After Independence, he came to Panipat twice. Inspired by his ideas, Panipat became the centre of industry," she added.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra asserted that on the morning of December 19, 1947, in Mahatma Gandhi's prayer meeting, Mewat leader Chaudhary Yasin Khan told him that thousands of Muslims of Mewat were ready to go to Pakistan.

"When Mahatma Gandhi reached Ghasera village of Mewat, a crowd of thousands of people gathered there to welcome him. People were very scared. Gandhi ji talked to them, assured them and then the Muslims decided not to go. The message of every journey of Gandhi ji 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 society, then realising these ideas is the true duty towards the country and this is the true tribute to Bapu. Salute to the Father of the Nation!," she concluded.