Gandhi's non-violence ideology more relevant today: Medha Patkar

Panaji, Nov 10: Noted social activist Medha Patkar today said Mahatma Gandhi's ideology of non-violence is more relevant in the present times, and suggested that there should be no capital punishment.

"Mahatma Gandhi's ideology of non-violence is very much relevant today. There is no difference between violence whoever does it," Patkar said during an interaction at ThinkFest event in Goa today.

The Narmada Bachao Andolan leader further said that the non-violent means of protest were even more relevant at a time when the state and Maoists were fighting each other gun-to-gun. Despite the poor and marginalised building and producing most of what we consume, they are the ones who are the most neglected and exploited, Patkar lamented.

The state is failing its people by not following its duty and standing up for them, she said. Patkar also opined that capital punishment should be done away with. "Human-to-human and human-to-nature relationships need to be brought back to the fore," she said.

She said Gandhi's trusteeship system has to come to the fore and cooperative and community-based ownership of resources should be promoted. "Co-operatives can do the same job that business corporations are performing," she said.

PTI