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"If, as I believe, his spirit looks upon us and sees us, nothing
would displease his soul so much as to see that we have indulged in any small
behaviour or any violence.
Mahatma means "great soul," an honorific Gandhi earned by his
powerful nonviolent political and spiritual leadership in India before and after
it achieved independence. Gandhi differed from other leaders in that he refused
to profit from the misfortunes of the oppressor, insisting that his adversaries
be won over by the moral rightness of his position. A Hindu opposed to the
partitioning of India and the creation of a separate Muslim state (Pakistan), he
was assassinated by a fanatic Hindu enraged at Gandhi's solicitude for the
Muslims.
Jawaharlal Nehru was a protégé of Gandhi's , the leader of the
Indian National Congress, and eventually, prime minister of the country.
Friends and comrades, the light has gone out of our lives and
there is darkness everywhere. I do not know what to tell you and how to say it.
Our beloved leader, Bapu as we called him, the father of the nation, is no more.
Perhaps I am wrong to say that. Nevertheless, we will not see him again as we
have seen him for these many years. We will not run to him for advise and seek
solace from hi, and that is a terrible blow, not to me only, but to millions and
millions in this country, and it is a little difficult to soften the blow by any
other advise that I or anyone else can give you.
The light has gone out, I said, and yet I was wrong. For the
light that shone in this country was no ordinary light. The light that has
illumined this country for these many years will illumine this country for many
more years, and a thousand years later that light will still be seen in this
country, and the world will see it and it will give solace to innumerable
hearts. For that light represented the living truth ... the eternal truths,
reminding us of the right path, drawing us from error, taking this ancient
country to freedom.
All this has happened when there was so much more for him to do.
We could never think that he was unnecessary or that he had done his task. But
now, particularly, when we are faced with so many difficulties, his not being
with us is a blow most terrible to bear.
A madman has put an end to his life, for I can only call him mad
who did it, and yet there has been enough of poison spread in this country
during the past years and months, and this poison has effect on people's minds.
We must face this poison, we must root out this poison, and we must face all the
perils that encompass and face them not madly or badly but rather in the way
that our beloved teacher taught us to face them.. The first thing to remember no
wish that no one of us dare misbehave because we're angry. We have to behave
like strong and determined people, determined to face all the perils that
surround us, determined to carry out the mandate that our great teacher and our
great leader had given us, remembering always that if, as I believe, his sprit
looks upon us and sees u, nothing would displease his soul so much as to see
that we have indulged in any small behaviour or any violence.
So we must not do that. But that does not mean that we should be
weak, but rather that we should in strength and in unity face all the troubles
and difficulties and conflicts must be ended in the face of this great disaster.
A great disaster is a symbol to us to remember all the big things of life and
forget the small things, of which we have thought too much."
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News: Eulogy |
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