Centenary of Satyagraha coincides with OU centenary

“In1930 Mahatma Gandhi, in his 50s, with an unmatchable pace initiated Dandi March. On seeing his young volunteers in the march fall sick, he remarked, ‘This generation is delicate, weak and much pampered’.

But today’s generation is much more delicate, weaker and much more pampered because they don’t walk,” said S N Sahu, Joint Secretary of Rajya Sabha.

He was speaking at a seminar on ‘Mahatma Gandhi for 21st Century Youth’ organised by Department of Political Science, University College of Women, Koti, Hyderabad.

“Gandhi said avoid car if you can walk but today we see cars everywhere. Road rage, anxiety and pollution are the by-products of too many vehicles.” he lamented, adding “By walking one can be closer to Gandhi”.

While talking about Satyagraha, on a lighter note, he pointed the attention of students towards the coinciding of Centenary year of Mahatma’s Satyagraha with OU’s Centenary year much to their amusement.

He explained the admiration for non-violence worldwide by referring the students from a German school who named their school after Gandhi saying, ‘We-the youth want to name this school after this great man because he was preaching non-violence and talking sense when there was non-sense all over the world.’

Sahu referred to many instances from Mahatma’s life and explained its relevance in 21st century.He emphasised on the 11 vows of Gandhi and urged students to follow them. He also asked students to read Gandhi’s writing and understand the deeper meaning in it.

S.N. Sahu spoke on length about the importance of gender equality with regard to Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings. He said “Gandhi emphasised on gender equality in 1922 itself and tried to challenge patriarchy with his book Bal Pothi.”

When asked whether women themselves deny their right and say a man shouldn’t enter kitchen,he kept everyone in splits with the answer, “When I got married I told my wife I don’t know cooking but I can wash utensils.

But when my mother-in-law saw this she stopped me from entering the kitchen.” “Patriarchy is gripped in our minds. Change is taking place but it will take time. Because slave doesn’t know he is a slave,” he added.

By: Syeda Zahara Jabeen