Good morning distinguished leaders and speakers. I thank you very much Indian Overseas Congress for giving me last minute opportunity to present my views on this very special & historic day, Gandhi Day. Today October 2nd 2020 is the Birthday of the World’s Greatest Leader Mahatma Gandhi and we are celebrating his 151st Birthday. Mahatma Gandhi is our hero & role model because he fought for independence in India and never gave up. He believed in non-violence and peaceful protests to promote change. Now again time has come for another Mahatma Gandhi in South Asia and World in this 21st Century of new normal, Post Covid-19 to make world better & peaceful to live.
As we call him with love Bapu, When the British government was trying to rule India by violence Gandhi was arrested because of this protest. He continued to fight for India’s independence from Great Britain. In 1947, August 15th Bapu ji won the battle against British Rulers in India. Independence for India was achieved. Bapu ji influenced Martin Luther King Jr who led the American Civil Rights movement. Martin Luther King Jr used Gandhi’s methods of non-violent resistance to gain civil rights for African Americans. Also, Nelson Mandela was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy. Mahatma Gandhi was a great leader who used non-violence to fight for India’s independence. He made the world a better place and never gave up in his beliefs. Non-violence helped him through the bad times as he persevered with his goals. Mahatma Gandhi said, ” We must be the change we wish to see.” My father Girija Prasad Koirala became five times Prime Minister of my country Nepal, who was also influenced by Bapuji’s philosophy and followed his path to bring Maoists Rebels who launched 10 years Civil War into a peaceful landing. On Nov 2006, then Prime Minister Girija Pasad Koirala and Maoist rebel chief Prachanda sign a peace deal, ending a civil war that killed more than 13,000 people. As I said, we need a Leader like Mahatma Gandhi to overcome the struggles and sins, that will pave an effctive way peacefully for New New World of post Covid-19. Thank you all. Stay Safe & Well. Let us be optimistic.