Tuesday, October 3 2006 11:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Frankfurt: Recalling the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi's life and teachings to the modern world, HRD Minister Arjun Singh yesterday (Oct 2, 2006) said his struggle was always against evil whether in the form of colonial oppression and domination or untoucand low status of women.

In his speech at Gandhi Seminar here, he referred to the universal nature of Gandhi's philosophy -- his commitment to civil liberties, humanitarianis and truth.

Singh said one of the major misunderstandings regarding Gandhi's life and thought was the belief that he opposed use of machinery for productive and social purpose.

"He contradicted this view several times and pointed out that he opposed only the use of machinery for displacing human labour but favoured it when it lightened the burden on human beings. In other words, he was for the economic development that simultaneously generated full employment," Singh said.



The Minister said Gandhi constantly preached to his followers that Indian people's struggle was not against the British but against Colonialism.

"His greatest contribution was in making the Indian struggle for independence a mass movement. What is even more relevant is that he interwove this movement with a social and ethical agenda the use of right means to achieve right ends, the simultaneous struggle against internal social evils untouchability, low status of women," he said.

Singh said Gandhi led by example and it was due to his strong and personal commitment to secularism, truth, non- violence and social reform that modern India has held on to these values despite many pressures and provocations.