Legacies of Gandhiji and Sree Narayana Guru carry clear message against violence: Rahul Gandhi

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that the legacies of Gandhiji and Sree Narayana Guru carry a clear message against violence. He emphasized that both Mahatma Gandhi and Sree Narayana Guru lacked physical or financial strength but possessed immense, lasting power due to their spiritual strength and commitment to truth.

Speaking at the 100th anniversary commemoration of the historic meeting between Mahatma Gandhi and Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri Mutt, Rahul Gandhi said Sree Narayana Guru, the great saint-philosopher, despite having no great wealth or physical power, was the most powerful figure in Kerala because he possessed the power of truth. “Sree Narayan Guru did not have strength or huge amounts of wealth, but he was the most powerful man in Kerala. Imagine his power that 100 years later, many from the political class have come to commemorate Sree Narayana Narayan Guru today. There is a clear message from Gandhi ji and Narayan Guru ji to those who use violence – there is nothing to be gained from it, only to be lost,” he said.

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Drawing a parallel between Gandhiji’s 1925 meeting with Sree Narayana Guru and contemporary politics, Rahul Gandhi said the political struggle today is also between the values of truth, humility and non-violence on one side, and anger, violence, hatred and arrogance on the other.

“The political fight in India is also similar. On one side are truth, humility and non-violence. On the other side are anger, violence, hatred and arrogance. They might have force but no power. The spirit of India is based on the idea of non-violence and truth,” The Congress leader said.

He noted that a century later, the political class still gathers to honor the saint-reformer, signifying the lasting impact of his message against caste, inequality, and violence.

He also linked Sree Narayana Guru’s teachings—specifically respect for the weak and protection of the vulnerable—directly to the principles of the Indian Constitution.

The meeting was organized to commemorate the original 1925 visit, where Mahatma Gandhi met Narayana Guru at the Sivagiri Ashram, a meeting that highlighted the convergence of their views on social justice.