Gandhi and King two iconic movers of change: US Congressmen

Lalit K Jha

Washington, Feb 11 (PTI) The teachings of Mahatma Gandhi
had the greatest influence on civil rights icon Martin Luther
King, who used the principles of non-violence to promote
equality and justice in America, US Congressmen said during a
rare discussion on the two "iconic movers of change".

Participating in a debate on a House of Representatives
resolution to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Martin
Luther's visit to India in 1959 to have a better understanding
of philosophy of Gandhi, Congressmen cutting across party
lines said the two leaders laid the underpinnings of the
reformation of nations that already had a good heart.

The debate lasted for about an hour before the resolution
was passed by a roll call vote of 401 to zero.

"It was on Gandhi's preaching of the philosophy and the
discipline of non-violence that King patterned the non-violent
struggle in America to tear down the walls of segregation and
racial discrimination," said Congressman John Lewis.

Often called one of the most courageous persons the civil
rights movement ever produced, Lewis had sponsored the
Congressional resolution.

"The great teacher gave us the philosophy of nonviolence,
and Gandhi gave us the message and showed us the way. So it is
fitting for the United States Congress to pause and recognise
the 50th anniversary of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr's trip to
India and the impact that trip had on our nation's struggle
for civil rights and voting rights," he said.

It was 50 years ago today, on February 10, 1959, King
arrived in Mumbai to study the principles of non-violence
developed and used so skillfully by Mahatma Gandhi, which King
himself employed to become the nation's greatest civil rights
leader, said Congressman Hank Johnson from Georgia.

Initiating the debate, Johnson said during his travel to
India from February 10 to March 10, 1959, King gained a deeper
appreciation for powers of non-violent civil disobedience, a
practice he first discovered reading Henry David Thoreau's
essay, "On Civil Disobedience" as a college student.

"Just as Gandhi had used it successfully in resistance to
oppressive British colonial rule in India, King adopted it as
a cornerstone of the American civil rights movement, holding
firmly and faithfully to it even when peaceful demonstrations
were met by dogs and fire hoses, and worse," he said.

"Standing on the shoulders of Gandhi, Dr King called on
us to promote equality and justice through steadfast
nonviolence, and it is on the shoulders of Dr King that we now
stand to do our best to live up to his dream for us."

Congressman Lamar Smith from Texas said King, inspired by
Gandhi's organised peaceful action, launched a similar effort
to fight for racial equality under the law in the US. That
inspiration eventually materialised in the Nobel Peace Prize
that was awarded to King in 1964. PTI LKJ