Karnataka - Hassan   

`Philosophies of Gandhiji, Ambedkar relevant now'

Staff Correspondent

The Mahatma addressed a problem emotionally, says Baragur

HASSAN: The former Chairman of Kannada Development Authority and writer, Baragur Ramachandrappa, said here on Monday that the philosophies of Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar have become more relevant in today's changed social, economic and political scenario of the country.

Mr. Ramachandrappa was delivering a special lecture on the relevance of philosophies of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar organised by Dr. Ambedkar Research Centre and Hemagangothri, Post-graduation Centre of the University of Mysore.

Prof. Ramachandrappa criticised Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram for earmarking Rs. 89,000 crores for Defence expenditure. The country is succumbing to the pressures of the U.S. and buying arms in the name of national security. He regretted that Mr. Chidambaram failed to accord priority to rural development and employment generation.

About the philosophies of the Mahatma and Dr. Ambedkar, he said while the Mahatma had the qualities of a saint, Dr. Ambedkar was more volatile with concealed strength of a saint.

He said the former created a social atmosphere for the entry of the latter. The Mahatma fought colonialism for political emancipation and Dr. Ambedkar launched a struggle to remove discrimination and social injustice.

Mr. Ramachandrappa said that the Mahatma used to address the problem on an emotional plane while Dr. Ambedkar chose the scientific and rational path. "It is imperative to understand the two visionaries in their own perspective and circumstances under which they took their decisions and their understanding of issues," he said.

Emulate them, youth told

Senior Congress leader Harnahalli Ramaswami, who inaugurated the programme, said the two visionaries contributed to change the social set-up in their own way and it is the responsibility of the today's youth to emulate them for the betterment of their lives.

The former Union Minister Srinivas Prasad, Registrar of University of Mysore N.D. Tiwari, Honorary Director of Gandhian Studies, Manasagangothri, S. Shivarajappa, Director of Dr. Ambedkar Research Centre J. Somashekar and Director of Hemagangothri Yashavantha Dongre were present.

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