Gandhians For Peace: All religion prayer meeting in Delhi for peace in Ukraine, Ambassadors of many countries including Ukraine attended, Gandhis passed resolution against war.
Gandhis Against War : Peace loving people around the world are protesting against Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Even in Russia itself, there are demonstrations against this attack. The followers of Mahatma Gandhi, who gave the message of non-violence to the world, are also raising their voices on this issue in India. In the country’s capital Delhi, Gandhian organizations and people inspired by Gandhi’s thought performed two consecutive programs in the last two days, showing activism against the attack on the unarmed people of Ukraine and now they have made peace on Tuesday 8 March at the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. Resistance has also been declared.
In a statement issued by the organizations that announced to gather at Gandhi Samadhi against the war, it has been said, “Ukraine, a small country, is being crushed before our eyes and its status is being tarnished. This is an insult not only to the people of Ukraine, but to the peaceful and just people of the whole world. Be it Russia or the NATO countries led by America, do any of them have the right to jointly burn the common people of Ukraine to ashes in the fire of bombs and missiles? It is this orgy of power and violence that is putting the whole world in danger. To raise our voice against this arbitrariness and demand to stop this panic immediately, we are gathering at Bapu’s Samadhi Rajghat on Tuesday 8th March 2022 from 1 pm to 5 pm. Gandhi is an eternal symbol against war, violence and injustice. That is why we Gandhians request all the citizens of Delhi to reach Rajghat on 8th March and join this peaceful resistance in support of the people of Ukraine.”
Ambassadors of many countries attended the prayer meeting
Gandhian institutions and people inspired by Bapu’s ideas earlier on Friday organized an all-religion prayer meeting at the National Gandhi Museum near Mahatma Gandhi’s Samadhi. Ambassadors of many European countries including Ukraine and members of their families attended this important gathering. Senior Gandhians present in the meeting said that the destructive power of war and the mutual play of so-called superpowers is taking away the freedom, dignity and existence of the citizens of Ukraine. In a collective protest against this painful and shameful situation, he called for the immediate end of the war and restoration of peace. The Ambassador of Ukraine, who attended the prayer meeting, also appealed to India to cooperate to save his country. Along with this, he also expressed his gratitude for organizing a prayer meeting in support of the Ukrainian people.
Solidarity resolution with the people of Ukraine passed
Continuing the series that began with the Sarva Dharma prayer meeting, the very next day a meeting of senior Gandhians and people inspired by Gandhian thought was held at the Gandhi Peace Foundation in Delhi, expressing solidarity with the people of Ukraine against the Russian attack. Important resolution passed. In this resolution, remembering the message of Mahatma Gandhi, the superpowers have been called to stop the war and arms race immediately. Organized at the invitation of Gandhi Peace Foundation President Kumar Prashant, many prominent Gandhians, including Gandhi Memorial Fund President Ramchandra Rahi, Secretary Sanjay Kumar and Annamalai, Director of the National Gandhi Museum, attended the meeting. People from Gandhi thought inspired organizations and groups like Khudai Khidmatgar, Khudai Khidmatgar Hind, All India Peace Mission and Yuva Samvad also participated enthusiastically in the meeting.
What are the Gandhians of the country saying?
The resolution passed in the meeting said, “The most distorted face of our world is visible in Ukraine today. A new story is being written in Ukraine about the extent to which selfish and dastardly superpowers can go while playing their game. No matter how much we analyze the role of Russia and the NATO treaty countries, it cannot be hidden that this is the same massacre as we have ever seen in Jallianwala Bagh and then in Tibet. This game of crushing unarmed people with the power of a weapon is not new. But it is being played more shamelessly and cruelly than before. On the occasion of the Salt Satyagraha, Mahatma Gandhi wrote: “I seek the sympathy of the whole world in this face-to-face war between muscle power and justice.” Today the helpless people of Ukraine have become a symbol of Gandhi’s request.
The resolution, passed by groups inspired by Gandhi’s thought, further said, “Today we all in our united voices oppose this brute attack on Ukraine in every possible way and call upon the conscience of both the superpowers to immediately Stop this assault and arms race. We also want to say clearly that this dialogue should be between the invader Russia and its victim Ukrainian people. NATO countries should have no role in such talks. We appreciate the bravery with which the people of Ukraine are fighting the Russian military force, but would also like to say that it should be ready for the role of complete non-cooperation and complete refusal, except weapons. The Russian army entering Ukraine should get neither a pie, nor a brother, nor cooperation, nor respect. This role of complete non-cooperation will prove to be more efficacious than weapons.”
“Imperialism is pushing the world towards the third world war”
Gandhian organizations warned of the danger of the Third World War, saying in the resolution, “The same narrow mind of the superpowers is working behind the tragedy of Ukraine which believes that the whole world is just a means of fulfilling their selfish interests. We want to make it clear that it is the same imperialism that has forced the world to burn in two world wars. Both the superpowers show no respect for civil liberties and rights. We consider the democratic sovereignty of nations and their citizens to be unbroken and inviolable. Under the guise of Ukraine, the so-called superpowers are playing the game of grabbing money and land, we have no illusions about this.
We can’t forget Gandhi’s legacy
The resolution further states, “Mahatma Gandhi had in full force exposed the moral role of a subjugated India, even in the critical phase of the Great War. We are not Gandhi but we are not ready to forget that legacy of history. We consider it necessary to underline the fact that a nation weakened by resolve and divided on the social level cannot make or follow an independent and ethical foreign policy. Had India not been in such a situation, it should have no hesitation in saying with deep sympathy to our friend Russia that we respect your friendship so much that we consider it our religion to prevent you from committing such a mistake. We should have told Russia that pointing out your mistake in Ukraine does not mean that we support the NATO camp of America. Opposing one mistake cannot be an endorsement of another.
Support civilian demonstrations against war
Gandhian groups expressed solidarity with the demonstrations taking place around the world against the war, saying in the resolution, “Spontaneous demonstrations of sympathy for Ukraine and prohibition of war are taking place at the civilian level all over the world including Russia. Citizens are declared alive. We appreciate and support this and call for such demonstrations and resolutions at every level in India.”
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