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Port-of-Spain: "What
would have happened if Gandhi had today's new technology like
internet, Skype, Twitter, email and facebook to challenge the
British Raj," a Trinidad and Tobago minister asked while calling
for tolerance in society during an event to mark India's
Independence Day.
Minister of Communications Jamal Mohammed called for tolerance in
society, similar to the one applied by Mahatma Gandhi in his quest
for Indian Independence. He was addressing a gathering Tuesday at
the Independence Day celebrations of India and Trinidad and
Tobago. An exhibition titled, "Freedom to March: Rediscovering
Gandhi through Dandi" was held at Divali Nagar.
India celebrates its Independence Day Aug 15 while Trinidad and
Tobago will celebrate its Independence Aug 31.
Trinidad and Tobago's Indian diaspora consists of 44 percent of
the population of 1.3 million people.
Mohammed said "Gandhi tolerated all forms of religious, cultural,
social or political adversities, and maintained his focus on the
achievement of India's Independence".
He said Gandhi was a "perfect communicator to have been able to
access over 300 million Indians in the 1930s and 1940s and have
them join and work with him and achieve Indian Independence was an
epochal humanitarian initiative".
Asking what would happen if Gandhi had access to new technology
like internet and Skype, he said: "Can you imagine that scenario,
and yet he changed the course of human history? He used the power
of the tongue by passing the word to each one."
The minister praised the strong, friendly and cordial relations
between India, and Trinidad and Tobago over the past 50 years.
Indian High Commissioner Malay Mishra urged the audience to take
the teachings and philosophy of Gandhi, whom the world still
respects for promoting peace, unity and love in India.
He said that August is the month of freedom for India as well as
Trinidad and Tobago.
Deokienanan Sharma, president of the National Council of Indian
Culture, said this country's independence can be directly related
to India's struggle for independence.
Indians were brought to these Caribbean islands between 1845 and
1917 to work on sugar and cocoa plantations, principally from
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
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