Washington: Applauding Narendra Modi’s commitment to tackle climate change, US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday that the Indian Prime Minister has upheld the values of Mahatma Gandhi by taking on the challenge that poses an existential threat to the planet.
Referring to the ‘commitment’ shown by Narendra Modi in ensuring that the agreement on climate change was finalised, Nancy Pelosi said: ‘It was not easy. But it was done’.
“I mentioned about climate crisis and thanked him for his leadership, he talked about Mahatma Gandhi and the environment,” Pelosi said at an event at the historic Library of Congress organised by the Indian Embassy to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi, here Wednesday.
“He (Modi) told us (Congress) whether it was water conservation or whatever it is, Mahatma Gandhi understood the worth and the respect we had to have for nature,” Pelosi told the gathering before adding that if Gandhi was alive today, he would have led the movement to take on the challenge threatening God’s creation: planet Earth.
“We are called to fight this fight, which is the existential threat of our time: really jeopardising the health, security, and future of our children and our grandchildren,” Nancy Pelosi said in her key note address.
In his remarks, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar who was also present at the function described Pelosi as a political figure who embodies the strength of convictions that is so relevant even today.
“Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked at an event at the United Nations what it would have been like had Mahatma Gandhi been like born in a free country. We could perhaps take that even further and ask ourselves what he would advocate today if he was amongst us,” Jaishankar he said.
“The answer obviously is not a simple one because Gandhi ji’s outlook and thoughts spanned a very broad spectrum of human activity. But to the extent we can define it within sharper boundaries, they probably are best captured by the 17 sustainable development goals that the world’s seeks to achieve today,” added the Indian minister.
Stating that the House Speaker has shown commendable leadership on a similar set of priorities in the US, Jaishankar said, “Your commitment towards clean governance and green development is widely recognised. Your presence here today underlines the impact that the life and message of Mahatma Gandhi has had on your own endeavours from your early youth.
Jaishankar, on the occasion, also presented a bust of Mahatma Gandhi to Pelosi.
“I will display it with great pride in the Speaker’s office of the capital of the United States so that anyone who visits there will see that respect and admiration that we have (for Gandhi),” Pelosi said while thanking Jaishankar.
PTI