Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

Freedom fighters hailed for spreading peace

Staff Reporter

They are called potential laboratories

HONOUR: Sarath Chandra Behar, former Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh, presenting the `Maja Koene Social Activist Award' to people of Naravat village in Gaya district of Bihar, at the inauguration of an International Gandhian Institute for Non-viole nce and Peace at Kadavur near the city on Tuesday. S.N. Subba Rao, founder, National Youth Project, looks on. — Photo: K. Ganesan.

MADURAI: Increasing budgetary allocations for building arms and ammunitions is a serious challenge facing the humankind, said S.N. Subba Rao, founder, National Youth Project, here on Tuesday.

Inaugurating an International Gandhian Institute for Non-violence and Peace (IGINP) instituted by the Centre for Experiencing Socio-Cultural Interaction (CESCI) at Kadavur near here, he deplored the present state of affairs in which countries vied with one another in establishing laboratories to invent sophisticated weapons.

He asked whether those countries had established any laboratories to develop techniques to spread the spirit of non-violence and peace. Mr. Rao complimented the freedom fighters for spreading the message of peace and non-violence and called them as potential laboratories.

Pointing out that the inauguration of IGINP could not have come at a more appropriate time when incidents of violence and terrorism were being reported from everywhere, he said that the institute, established at the CESCI, should spread Gandhian values.

Delivering a lecture on `Globalisation and decentralisation,' Sarath Chandra Behar, former Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh, said that globalisation would be welcomed unanimously by everybody, if it really meant the term `global village,' which would mean no distance between people. Everybody would live in perfect amity in such a scenario, he added.

Citing different dimensions the word `globalisation' had assumed in the recent past, he said that if the world became one family, there would be no animosity and the tendency to sacrifice for the interest of fellow human beings would increase.

But, in reality, the idea of globalisation was spearheaded not by any country but by World Trade Organisation, for which the purpose was not to serve but to earn maximum profit.

Profiteering was also a form of violence, Mr. Behar said and added that when there were barriers in the form of passports and visas restricting entry of neighbouring countrymen, people were demanding removal of those barriers for trade in the name of globalisation.

P.V. Rajagopal, president, Ekta Parishad, said that the IGINP should spread the vibrant cause of Gandhian ideals.

As part of the Decennium Celebrations of CESCI, coinciding with the inauguration of international theatre festival and workshop, the `Maja Koene Social Activist Award' was presented to people of Naravat village in Gaya district of Bihar for making the land movement a big success through non-violent struggles. The award was also presented to a group of 20 women of Tikar village in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh, for piloting land reclamation.

The `Maja Kone Journalist Award' was presented to The Civil Society, Delhi, for propagating alternative social theories and actions from the grassroots. The `Journalist Award' was also presented to Sunil Sourab, Reporter, Hindustan Samachar, Patna, for reporting news on the grassroots-level nonviolent social activities and activists. The award carried a citation and Rs.10,000.

Kude Meier, secretary, CESCI Foundation, Switzerland, Nathali Peyer, member, and S. Jeyapragasam, Director, IGINP, spoke.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Freedom fighters hailed for spreading peace
Railways facing shortage of loco pilots, says Ministry
Tidal wave and judicial move
A cultural and linguistic confluence
Bidding goodbye to '05 with best books
Around the City
In Madurai Today

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu