At a time when people are craving for luxuries, the money has become a limitless and never ending desire in people’s lives. People feel that Gandhi is limited only to books. They do not want to practise the ideals of Gandhi and even avoid discussing them. In such a scenario, there are still some people who wish to live life in Gandhian way. Free Press spoke to Income tax (I-T) commissioner, RK Paliwal, who is known for his simplicity and honesty and Dayaram Namdev, who is secretary, Gandhi Bhawan on the eve of Gandhi Jayanti.
Set examples by own conduct: RK Paliwal
I-T commissioner, RK Paliwal, an IRS officer of 1986 batch, has made Gandhi his ideal. Paliwal is amongst those few who spend a part of his salary on poor. He also went to help and serve the flood victims in Kerala. Paliwal maintains that Gandhi is more relevant in the present times. When Gandhi was alive, people used to live a simple life but today things have changed completely. In the present time, social media has pervaded every walk of life and the youth consider television and mobile phones as their ideals, said the Gandhian.
There is more need to follow the concept of Gandhi, he added. According to Paliwal, Gandhi wanted to see an ideal world. There should be limited use of resources. A person should not waste anything. Paliwal said people’s desires never end. He said examples should be set by own conduct in the present times. Paliwal, who manage to take out some time for social service despite his busy work schedule, said nobody has time but one needs to take it out. He said it was because of his association with Swami Kalyandev, Narayan Desai, Baba Amte and Chandrashekar Dharmadhikari that he was trying to walk on the footsteps of Gandhi. He also maintains that his life would be called successful even if he could follow some of the teachings of Gandhi.
Stay away from
Dayaram Namdev, a Gandhian and secretary of Gandhi Bhawan, feels that one could walk on footsteps of Gandhi by not hoarding anything. Namdev feels that Gandhi’s thoughts are more relevant in present times. He said it was surprising to see that youths have diverted their attention. The greed in people is not coming to an end. Whether it is cutting forests or mining, nature is being exploited. Namdev said youths and women should try to learn Gandhian philosophy. People are engrossed in personal interests. Namdev said Gandhi could never had imagined the conditions prevailing in India of present times.
Gandhi never wanted the society with such administrative systems. He said, Gandhi wanted coordination with rural settings. According to Namdev, it is very important to work on how optimum expansion of the thoughts of Gandhi could be done. Citing the example of Baba Rathoredas, Namdev said the he was a saint and MLA from Devaria. During ‘Bhoodaan Andolan’, he left everything and went on foot march taking a broom and ‘chakki’. When I saw him, I was inspired to live a Gandhian way, said Namdev adding that the society presently needs such people who could give right direction to the society.
