London Honors Gandhi Jayanti with Bhajans and Tributes

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal led the Gandhi Jayanti celebrations in London. The event featured tributes at the Gandhi statue in Tavistock Square and speeches highlighting Gandhiji's messages of peace, non-violence, and cleanliness. Participants included local dignitaries and students who performed Bhajans and prayers for global harmony.

Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal led the Gandhi Jayanti tributes in London on Wednesday, performing Bapu's favourite bhajan 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' to celebrate the 155th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation.

The annual Indian diaspora gathering at the iconic Gandhi statue in Tavistock Square, organized by the Indian High Commission in London and India League, featured floral tributes and addresses centred on Gandhiji's message of peace and non-violence. Marked as International Day of Non-Violence, the event also noted the tenth anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014.

"We often hear about Mahatma Gandhi's great thoughts such as truth and non-violence. But another great thought, I feel, was about public participation in pursuit of cleanliness and sanitation," stated Meghwal during his address in Hindi. He emphasized Gandhi's enduring message of cleanliness and civic responsibility.

Councillor Eddie Hanson, Deputy Mayor of Camden, paid tribute to Gandhi's influence on civil rights and social change movements globally. Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami reflected on Gandhi's life and his teachings on duty and obligation towards others.

The event concluded with students from the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in London performing 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' and 'Vaishnava Jan', followed by a Buddhist prayer for peace. The gathering then continued at the Gandhi statue in Parliament Square for further floral tributes, led by British Indian peer Lord Meghnad Desai.

(With inputs from agencies.)