Pietermaritzburg incident led to political awakening : PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called the Pietermaritzburg incident, involving Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi, as the beginning of a journey to political awakening.

Delivering a video address to an audience comprising of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Prime Minister Modi recalled the humiliation meted out to Mahatma Gandhi at Pietermaritzburg station after being thrown out of the first class out of a "whites-only" compartment in spite of being holding its ticket.

Prime Minister Modi said, "When he (Mahatma Gandhi) was thrown out of the train, he had to wait overnight at the station. What went through his mind no one knows, as he spent his mind in the waiting room. Though, it led to the evolution of force of Satyagraha, non-violence, truth, and peace."

"It led to the transformation of an ordinary man to Mahatma (Great Soul). In doing so, it sowed the seeds of a global movement for liberty, equality, and justice, "Prime Minister Modi added.

He further said that the end of this journey was the beginning of a journey of a political awakening.

Prime Minister called Nelson Mandela as the greatest son of South Africa, and Martin Luther King as the greatest champion of civil rights movement who as he said had built upon the foundation laid by Mahatma Gandhi that people could ignite change.

Speaking on the 125th anniversary of Satyagraha movement, Prime Minister Modi said, "We must follow the path shown by Mahatma as his ideas are relevant today more than ever before. His struggles of freedom, justice and equality and above all the life of dignity still continue."

Ending his speech, Prime Minister Modi said, "Mahatma Gandhi not only liberated Indians but gave hope to millions.