The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today attended the centenary year celebrations of Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat. Speaking at the event, he said Mahatma Gandhi’s thoughts have the power to mitigate the challenges the world is facing today.

He said that it is essential, as a society, to stay connected to our history. Recalling the contributions of Shrimad Rajchandraji on his 150th birth anniversary, Prime Minister Modi called for further academic research on his life and thoughts.

Speaking about cleanliness, Shri Modi said it must become a habit. He said this would be a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary in 2019.

He urged people from all over the world to visit the Sabarmati Ashram.

Making a strong statement on cow vigilantism, the Prime Minister said, “We are a land of non violence. We are the land of Mahatma Gandhi. No one spoke about protecting cows more than Mahatma Gandhi and Acharya Vinoba Bhave. Yes. It should be done.”

However, he emphasized strongly that killing people in the name of cow worship (Gau Bhakti) is not acceptable. This is not something that Mahatma Gandhi would approve of, he said. As a society, there is no place for violence; no person in this nation has the right to take the law in his or her own hands, he added.

The Prime Minister urged people to work together and create the India of Mahatma Gandhi’s dreams, which our freedom fighters would be proud of.