Miscreants can never be Mahatma, incorporate goodness, says KCR

HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Sunday said that people with immoral intentions could never be called Mahatma and that Mahatma Gandhi was a man full of purity and patriotism who spread peace wherever he went, after unveiling the 16-ft statue of Mahatma Gandhi on his 153rd birth anniversary at Gandhi Hospital.

KCR said, "Mahatma Gandhi was a man respected by not just Indians, but great leaders like Martin Luther King, Dalai Lama, Albert Einstein and Nelson Mandela. He inspired many to do good. We must feel proud to be born on the same land as him. His non-violence, peace and service to mankind is embedded in history and no one can replace or remove it. He was a man with universal values and it is a matter of pride to inaugurate his statue in Gandhi Hospital, where the medical professionals, following his path, saved many lives fearlessly during COVID."

The Chief Minister also said that during the freedom struggle, leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose or Jawahar Lal Nehuru did not focus on religion, caste, culture or traditions, their goal was to free India, similarly in Telangana the aim was development. He said that many schemes like 'palle pragati' and 'pattana pragati' were inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. He also urged everyone to identify and intensify the good around them.

KCR also honoured the second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on his birth anniversary and said that his words 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' were the foundation for India. However, Centre's schemes like 'Agnipath' and lack of a proper Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farmers were dishonouring India.