Naveen wants inclusion of 'non-violence' in Preamble

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday said the Constitution should be amended to include non-violence in the Preamble as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.

"I believe the greatest tribute India could pay Gandhiji on his 150th Anniversary is to include the 'uniquely' Indian idea of Ahimsa, of non-violence in the Preamble of India's Constitution," he said at the first meeting of the national committee for commemoration of 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, according to a statement.

He said this will ensure that the future generations, not just of Indians but also people around the world, will be reminded of the profound truth of this principle.

The Chief Minister said that the most important aspect of Mahatma Gandhi's doctrine of non-violence is that poverty and social injustice are the greatest violence.

"As Gandhiji said, as long as poverty exists, freedom is a wooden loaf. To remove poverty is the greatest task faced by any government. This can not be achieved without non-violence.

"Progress requires peace. Progress requires the defeat of those who divide society on the basis of class, caste or religion," he said.

--IANS

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