West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee suggested today that the government organise a world peace convention and observe a "communal harmony year" to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi next year.
Banerjee, who today attended in Delhi the first meeting of a 'national committee' tasked with planning the events to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi next year, said everyone in the meeting agreed that Gandhiji's philosophy should reach the grassroots level.
"We all have discussed how we can spread and campaign about Gandhian philosophy across the country. There were lots of suggestions from chief ministers and eminent personalities. The president said it is very important for us to maintain the ideology," she told reporters after the meeting.
"All the parties together had suggested that we should celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhiji in such a way that Gandhi's philosophy reach the grassroots level. Some people suggested setting up of universities, some suggested calling of special session of the UN. We have suggested to hold a world peace convention. We have also suggested to mark a communal harmony year for peace."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called the meeting to exchange ideas for the year-long programme to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary.
The prime minister had set the task to ensure all villages in the country become open-defecation free, besides providing access to electricity to all villages by 2019, when India celebrates the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi.
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