Politicians are dividing us using caste and religion: Tushar Gandhi

Mangaluru: Despite 78 years of independence, our political system continues to divide society based on caste, religion, hatred, and fundamentalism. This is an “anti-national mindset,” said Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson and social thinker, Tushar Gandhi.

He was speaking at a seminar organized at the University College in Hampankatta, Mangaluru, on Friday (September 20).

Tushar Gandhi remarked that although there was poverty in the pre-independence era, the unity among people helped us gain freedom from the British. However, today’s political leaders, in their quest for power, are following the British strategy of ‘divide and rule’ by separating us through caste and religion, he alleged.

He expressed regret that even in Mangaluru, where Mahatma Gandhi visited three times, fundamentalism is flourishing. The principles of those who assassinated Gandhi are being remembered while the message of Mahatma Gandhi is being forgotten, which is a shameful situation, he added.

The event was attended by Mangalore University Vice-Chancellor Prof. P.L. Dharma, Dr. Shantharam Shetty, Dr. Wooday P Krishna, Pramod Kumar Rai, Dr. Sheshappa K., and others.