Monday, August 8 2005 09:48 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Dhaka: The Gandhi Ashram in Noakhali near here had a surprise visitor today (August 8, 2005), External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh, who made a last-minute change in schedule to include it in his itinerary before wrapping up his three-day trip to Bangladesh.

Singh, the first senior minister of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government to visit the Gandhi Ashram, was provided a special helicopter by the Bangladeshi Government to travel to Noakhali in southeastern Bangladesh.

"The people of our sub-continent were indeed fortunate that this great man had appeared in our midst during a particularly crucial phase in our history," Singh said while addressing the trustees of the Gandhi Ashram Trust.

Singh recalled that Gandhiji had gone to Noakhali when he heard about the outbreak of communal riots there in 1946.

"The idea of unity of all religions was so dear to him that he stayed in Noakhali for about four months to spread his message of peace and non-violence", he said.

In a world perpetually prone to intolerance, fear and violence, Gandhiji's teachings are of special relevance, Natwar Singh said recalling that in the process of bringing us freedom, Gandhiji taught many lessons which have universal significance.

He said the Indian Government would be happy to support initiatives aimed at improving the Gandhi Memorial Technical Institute and the Gandhi Memorial Museum there.

The Indian Government would also like to support the Ashram's ongoing programmes of pisciculture, floriculture, water supply and sanitation, he added.

Observing that handloom and handicraft projects have great potential for further development and modernisation, he said India would like to send some experts under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme to provide technical assistance and vocational training, which would be of benefit to the people of Noakhali as well as surrounding areas.