GUWAHATI, Jan 30 � Tributes were paid to the hallowed memories of the Father of the Nation at a function organized on the occasion of the 67th death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi at the Kasturba Gandhi Ashram today.
The function organized by the Kasturba Memorial Trust was presided over by nonagenarian Gandhian Hem Kakati.
Addressing the function, Hem Bharali called upon the people to rededicate themselves to the noble ideals of brotherhood, non-violence, abhorrence to alcohol, and amity among all sections of people.
Several speakers including Tabiul Husain, Suniti Sonowal, Anuradha Dutta, Renuka Devi Barkataki, Ishphakur Rahman Barbora, Prof Bhimkanta Konwar, Moloy Baruah, Maheswar Saikia, Prof Chiranjiv Dutta, AK Goldsmith and Umesh Medhi, while paying tributes to Gandhiji, said that the need of the hour in the country was to fight terrorism, communal hatred, women deprivation, and addiction to alcohol.
Releasing a book on Gandhiji, Kasturba and inmates of the Sarania Ashram written by Nikumani Hussain, senior journalist DN Chakravartty said that while Gandhiji laid down his life for securing communal harmony in India, it would be the sacred duty of every Indian to hold before mankind the eternal message of Gandhiji in the perspective of the changing situation in the world.
He said that while Martin Luther King secured for 50 million black people of America the rights of free citizens, there were instances around the world when many societies had taken recourse to non-violent means to secure their political and social goals.
Earlier, Nishinath Changkakati, while explaining the purpose of the function, suggested the formation of a permanent committee to chalk out programmes for communal harmony, educational reforms, family welfare, employment generation, and prevention of addiction to drugs.
Damayanti Devi, secretary of the trust, welcomed the guests.
