Gandhians protest against building of Mahatma Mandir

He added: “Though Gandhiji was born in Gujarat,he was an international leader. Therefore,for people to understand Mahatma and follow his path of non-violence and peace,this Mahatma Mandir was conceptualised.”

The Gandhians,meanwhile,said in a letter that the construction of the Mandir should be immediately halted as the ostentatious project does not befit Gandhian ideology. They also said that those who justified Gandhi’s murder had no right to use his name.

The letter signed by veteran Gandhian Chuni Vaidya,activist Ila Pathak,Gujarat Vidyapeeth Vice-Chancellor Sudarshan Iyengar,and senior journalist Prakash Shah states that while Mahatma Gandhi belongs to all and no single group can lay claim on him,they were compelled to protest publicly as his name was being misused. “According to reports,it (Mandir) is to be used for grand functions like Vibrant Gujarat and to link Gandhi’s name this way is both an insult and disrespect to him,” the letter states.

Chuni Kaka,as Vaidya is fondly called,said,“I had written a letter to the CM a month ago protesting the Mahatma Mandir project. With no response from him,we are now going public with the protest.”

The letter further states,“The ruling party in the state and its leadership should make its stand clear on the situation leading to Gandhi’s murder and also the ideology that justifies it. It seems they are doing it to cover up their role. Also,it is not befitting for the government which stands accused of state-sponsored violence to undertake projects like Mahatma Mandir.”

In a symbolic gesture,the state government has planned to use soil and water from 18,000 villages and 169 towns,as well as rivers across the country,even as sarpanchs carrying pots full of soil dedicated it for the construction of Mahatma Mandir.

The Mahatma Mandir,to be located at Gandhinagar and spread over 34 acres,will have a business centre,food court,exhibition halls,a memorial,a garden and a suspension bridge in memory of the Dandi March.