PM Narendra Modi's decisions reflect Mahatma Gandhi's ideas: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi, Dec 10: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday unveiled the life-size statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and said that it is the misfortune of the country that the previous governments forgot Bapu's mantra while Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decisions reflect his ideas.

After unveiling the statue, Singh said, "It is a matter of great joy that today a life-size statue of Bapu has been unveiled near his mausoleum, Rajghat." The programme was organised by Gandhi Smriti.

He said while the statue of Mahatma Gandhi is installed at countless places in the country and abroad, the installation of a grand statue close to his memorial is certainly a very commendable step.

Singh said that about 154 years ago, when Bapu was born on October 2, not an individual but an era was born. "It is also true that the country and the world needed Bapu's thoughts as much as he needed them in the twentieth century and his thoughts are equally relevant today in the twenty-first century," he said. Singh pointed out that Mahatma Gandhi remained away from power throughout his life. "Nor did Mahatma Gandhi fight any war in his life, or conquer any country. Despite this, he won hearts across the world with his personality and creativity," the Minister said.

He also said that it has been almost 75 years since Mahatma Gandhi died but the relevance and influence of his ideas is increasing more than ever.

"It is not a small thing that even those great men of the world who never met Gandhiji were greatly influenced by Gandhi and Gandhism. I am talking about Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela who never met Gandhiji in their life but showed a new path to humanity by following his ideas and ideals," Singh said.

The Minister also said that Mahatma Gandhi was not only a freedom fighter or was limited only to liberating India. People forget that Gandhiji had also imagined an 'India of dreams' after Independence, he said.

He remarked that during the Indian freedom struggle, each of his movements may have appeared political, but there was always a deep economic, social and cultural message hidden in them

He said that Mahatma Gandhi's teachings that 'God resides in cleanliness' emerged from the Champaran movement.

"It is the misfortune of the country that after Independence, Gandhiji's cleanliness mantra was forgotten by the governments of that time," he said, taking a jibe at the previous governments.