Maharashtra CM bats for world heritage tag for Sevagram Ashram

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said the Sevagram Ashram in Wardha district of the state, where Mahatma Gandhi stayed during the freedom struggle, should get the world heritage site status.

Thackeray was speaking after virtually inaugurating some development works in Sevagram on the occasion of the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

"Mahatma Gandhi is a thought and we cannot move ahead in time without remembering it. Gandhi's thoughts are a guiding force to implement his idea of freedom," he said.

"Sevagram Ashram needs to get a status of world heritage site. Gandhiji showed the world that a war can be won without weapons. Only a Mahatma can convert a freedom struggle into a mass movement despite restrictions and non-availability of resources for awareness campaign," he said.

Sevagram was a centre of Independence movement and it is the duty of one and all to preserve the heritage, he said.

"It isthe misfortune of our generation that we could not experience Bapu. But we need to understand him from the people who have had the first-hand experience of being associated with him," he said.

The chief minister said he was proud of his alma materJ J School of Art, which created statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Vinobha Bhaveinstalled at the Sevagram Ashram.

Thackeray said the staff at SevagramAshram needs to be congratulated for preserving Gandhiji's memories there and also the important values that he upheld.

He said Mahatma Gandhi's teaching of rural empowerment and former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri's slogan of 'Jai Jawan-Jai Kisan' were important.

"We need to honour the soldiers who protect us and also the 'annadata' (farmers) who feeds us," he said.

(PTI)