Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Friday said that he drew inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi and adopted his ideal of non-violence during the statehood movement that led to the creation of Telangana State.

The Chief Minister spoke after launching the Azaadi ka Amrut Mahotsav at Public Gardens here. The Mahotsav would see a series of events organized by the State government across Telangana to commemorate the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence. “I thoroughly studied the concept of non-violence adopted by Mahatma Gandhi in the freedom movement and followed in his footsteps to fight for Telangana State,” he said.

Mahatma Gandhi and his ideals provided an impetus to the freedom movement, he said: “Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence set an example for different movements across the world.”

The Chief Minister said Gandhi led the nation in challenging the anti-people legislation of the British through the ‘Dandi March’ from Sabarmati to Dandi on March 12, 1930. “Initially, very few participated in the march, but it later transformed into a national movement. Sarojini Naidu, who hailed from Hyderabad, also participated in the march,” he said and recalled that Time magazine had then declared Mahatma Gandhi as ‘Man of the Year’.

The Chief Minister said the Azaadi ka Amrut Mahotsav was being simultaneously launched in Hyderabad and Warangal and thanked Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan for launching the celebrations at Warangal.

He urged all the public representatives and officials to participate in the celebrations which will be held over the next 75 weeks till August 15, 2022. He said all public representatives should set aside politics and party affiliations
and take part in the celebrations as they are connected with the country’s honour and glory.

“The Independence Day should not lose its relevance at any cost,” he said and appealed to all to make the programmes a grand success.

The Chief Minister stressed the need to educate the next generation about the freedom movement, struggles, and sacrifices made by freedom fighters, their ideals, and teachings in achieving independence. He said programmes such as essay writing, elocution and drawing competitions, debates, and Kavi Sammelans would be organised. The State government, he said, had already allocated Rs 25 crore for the celebrations.