Ahmednagar (Maharashtra): In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat ahead of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th Birth Anniversary, veteran Gandhian and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare said there is a need to follow Bapu's concept of village development today as increasing urbanisation has led to the overexploitation of the environment.
Hazare said people should develop the strength to bear humiliation 'People need to follow Gandhi's life for his values to be effective'
Strongly reiterating that Gandhian ideology held immense significance even today, Hazare said that Satya (truth) and Ahimsa (non-violence) are very powerful.
However, for the world to truly experience the power of the above values, he said that mere blind practising will not be enough.
"Gandhiji's conduct was pure and spotless. Satyagrahis should also follow the same. Their character, conduct, and thoughts should be pure, and they should have social and national perspective in life. Those who live on the basis of renunciation can adopt satyagraha and ahimsa. These values without a good character will not be effective," he said.
"Further, people should have the strength to bear humiliation. Gandhiji's life was full of humiliation, he was even thrown out of a train. But that never angered him," he added.
Hazare said villages should be made the focus 'Need to follow Gandhi's concept of village development'
Blaming increasing urbanisation for the sorry state of the country today, the veteran social activist said, "Gandhi said rural development was necessary for the nation to progress, but unfortunately, we took the wrong path after independence. Instead of villages, we are moving towards cities."
He added that the lack of basic facilities in villages was the reason more and more people are migrating to cities today, and that successive governments have made the mistake of focussing only on cities rather than villages.
Strongly condemning the overexploitation of natural resources in the present day, he said Gandhian concept of village development was the need of the hour for sustainable development.
"Increasing urbanisation is leading to overexploitation of the environment, where there is excessive consumption of non-renewable resources today. This, in turn, is causing pollution and diseases. Global temperatures are rising, and the entire world is extremely concerned," he said.
He said selfishness has increased today 'Gandhism not being taught well today'
Ruing the fact that Gandhism is not being effectively taught today, Hazare said, "Gandhian thought should have made its way into everyone's lives, but it has not. Families are not instilling such values. Kids should be taught this at a young age, but they are not. Even schools and colleges are lacking in values. Kids just have bookish knowledge about these values, but are not taught how to practice them in real life."
He added that a major reason why Satya and Ahimsa are not very effective today, is because of the increase in selfishness.
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