[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 23, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E252-E253]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN HONOR OF THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARTYRDOM OF MAHATMA GANDHI

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT MENENDEZ

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 23, 1999

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Fiftieth 
Anniversary of the martyrdom of Mahatma Gandhi, one of the most 
influential political, religious and cultural leaders of the Twentieth 
Century.
  In my district a service will be held at the Mahatma Gandhi 
Elementary School in Jersey City, which may be the first school in the 
United States renamed in his honor. I thank Mr. Hardyal Singh, 
President of the International Mahatma Gandhi Association, for putting 
together this important event.
  Politically, Mr. Gandhi was of tremendous importance in India's 
struggle for independence from Great Britain. After practicing law and 
becoming an advocate for Indian rights in South Africa, Gandhi returned 
to India to become a leader in the nationalist movement. Once there he 
perfected the use of passive resistance to gain political power. He 
suffered through many periods of imprisonment and through many fasts 
with the sole purpose of gaining independence for his people. Due in no 
small part to his efforts, India finally gained independence from 
British rule in 1947.
  Beyond his tremendous contributions to Indian politics, Gandhi was 
also a dominant religious and cultural figure. He asserted the unity

[[Page E253]]

of all people under one God and preached Christian and Muslim ethics 
along with Hindu. Gandhi also led the fight to rid the country of the 
caste system and defend the rights of the untouchables. Once 
independence was gained, Gandhi focused his energies on spreading his 
message of religious tolerance. His hunger strikes and prayer vigils 
were no longer in protest of colonial rule, but in protest of violence 
between Hindus and Muslims. He was on one such vigil in New Delhi when 
he was fatally shot by an extremist who objected to Gandhi's message of 
tolerance.
  In conclusion, I would like to say that we all owe a great debt to 
Mahatma Gandhi and his teachings, and I hope that by taking this day to 
remember his contributions and his struggles we can again benefit from 
his wisdom.

                          ____________________