Indian mission in Ghana marks Mahatma Gandhi’s 148th birth anniversary

By Francis Kokutse

Accra (Ghana), Oct 2 (IANS) Indian High Commissioner in Accra Birender Singh Yadav led a community group and members of the Society of Friends of India to make a presentation of assorted drugs worth thousands of dollars to a military hospital to mark the 148th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi -- also observed as the International Day of Non-violence.

Yadav declined to give the exact cost of the drugs, given by Indian companies based in Ghana, calling it a "friendly donation". The companies are: Pharmanova Pharmaceuticals, M&G Pharmaceuticals, Deepaks, GR Industries, Induslite Sciences, Eskey, Theurapeutics and Tablets India.

The donation followed a Peace Walk from the residence of the Indian High Commission through the Switchback Road and the Liberation Road in Accra and then back to the residence.

Speaking to IANS, Yadav said: "The celebration of this day reinforces the relevance of the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, many years after his death."

"It reinforces the need for all of us to follow in the belief of Gandhi in a world that is facing a lot of political and security crises," Yadav said, adding, that "if we follow the Gandhi's principles the world will enjoy a lot of peace".

He said the world needed peace to help bring about development. "We need a safe world so that efforts that will bring about the development could be implemented to benefit the vulnerable in society. Without peace, it is only anarchy that will consume the world."

A statement by the UN on the International Day of Non-violence said: "In his life, Gandhi remained committed to his belief in non-violence even under oppressive conditions and in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges."

"The theory behind his actions, which included encouraging massive civil disobedience to British law as with the historic Salt March of 1930, was that 'just means lead to just ends'... He believed that Indians must not use violence or hatred in their fight for freedom from colonialism," the statement said.

A United Nations' General Assembly resolution in June 2007 established the commemoration as an occasion to "disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness".

The UN said, the resolution reaffirms "the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence" and the desire "to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence".

(Francis Kokutse can be contacted at fkokutse@gmail.com)

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