22 lakh students watched Gandhi film: KCR

HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Monday expressed concern that a conspiracy was being hatched to steer the country into a frenzy. He exhorted the people to emulate Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of life to take the society in the path of progress.

Addressing the closing ceremony of the fortnight-long Swatantra Bharatha Vajrotsavalu celebrations at LB Stadium here, he said that the country had not been progressing as everyone would desire. He also had a piece of advice for the enlightened class, saying that the silence of intellectuals and open-minded people would do no good to society. He asked them to be the torchbearers and lead the society to progress.

While lauding the efforts of K Keshava Rao and his team in making the vajrotsavalu celebrations a grand success, the Telangana Chief Minister expressed his admiration for two aspects that he observed during the course of the programmes. He said that one crore people stopping in their stride, all at the same time, to sing the national anthem was a matter of great pride and awe-inspiring.

He also praised the efforts of Talasani Srinivas Yadav and his department in screening the film Gandhi during this time. "The fact that 22 lakh students watched the film during its screening across the state reflects the enthusiasm of the younger generation in knowing the Mahatma very well. Even if half of them get the inspiration from the life of Gandhi, that would do a world of good to society", he said.

He also rebuked those who try to speak ill about Mahatma Gandhi and show him in poor light. "The entire world and even the United Nations pays obeisance and tributes to Gandhi and his movement of non-violence. They regard that a person of his stature, aura and achievement will not be born at least in the next 1,000 years.

"The whole world follows Mahatma's ideals. We too followed in his path to achieve a separate Telangana state and have been progressing inspired by his ideals", he said.

Earlier, the Telangana Chief Minister hoisted the Tricolour and saluted it while singing the national anthem. After his speech, KCR also felicitated several eminent personalities of Telangana.