Mahatma Gandhi was most modern thinker of 20th century: PM

New Delhi, Jan 30 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today paid glowing tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, stating that the Father of the Nation was the most modern thinker of the 20th century whose messages of satyagraha and pluralism had timeless relevance.

''As long as we live in a world of conflict, as long as human societies are divided by differences, as long as people resort to might to assert their right, there will always be a Gandhian to remind us of the power of truth, of love, of peace.

''That is why I believe Mahatma Gandhi was the most modern thinker of the 20th century,'' Dr Singh said in his valedictory address at a two-day international conference on satyagraha, attended by leaders from across the globe.

The Prime Minister's address, lasting a little over 10 minutes, was received by the delegates, who included Archbishop Desmond Tutu, with frequent thumping of the desk.

Dr Singh, who visited the 'samadhi' of the Mahatma and the Gandhi memorial at Tees January Marg on either side of his address to pay floral tributes on the occasion of the death anniversary of the Father of the Nation, restricted himself to talking about messages of Gandhiji, without any deviation.

He began his address stating: ''This conference is not just a tribute to a man, or to the ideas and ideals he came to symbolise.

This conference is a prayer. It is a prayer in remambrance of the continued relevance of the message of the Mahatma for our times.

Indeed, for all times.'' Pointing out that the ideas that Mahatma Gandhi was remembered by were based on universal ideals, Dr Singh said many 'isms' battled ''for our minds, but few succeed in touching our hearts.'' The only political philosophy that would remain relevant for as long as mankind ''seeks peace, peace in our societies, peace between nations and peace with nature, will be the ideas and values we associate with Mahatma Gandhi,'' he said.

These ideas and values were today remembered not just at the conference, but across the world when people gathered to honour the legacy of his many disciplies like Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Bishop Tutu, Vaclav Havel, Lech Walesa and scores of others who had opted for the path of non-violence in the struggle for change, the Prime Minister said.

Satyagraha was also the essence of the teachings of all great religions of the world. ''No religion teaches intolerance. No religion preaches violence. No religion advocates injustice. Every religion echoes the deep and abiding faith of mankind in the power of peace. That message must go forth from this conference,'' he said.

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