Kejriwal pays tribute to Gandhi on his birth anniversary
Synopsis
AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 157th birth anniversary on October 2, 2026, honouring Bapu's teachings of truth, non-violence, Satyagraha, and collective courage against injustice.
Key Takeaways
AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 157th birth anniversary , October 2, 2026.
Kejriwal invoked Gandhi's core teachings: truth (Satya) and non-violence (Ahimsa) as the greatest forces.
He described unity against injustice as 'the greatest weapon' and Satyagraha as a companion in facing challenges.
Gandhi Jayanti is a national holiday in India and is recognised globally as the International Day of Non-Violence .
The Gandhian vocabulary carries particular resonance for AAP , a party rooted in anti-corruption mass mobilisation.
On the 157th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal offered a heartfelt tribute to the Father of the Nation on Friday, October 2, 2026, invoking Bapu's enduring lessons of truth, non-violence, and collective courage in the face of injustice.
Posting in Hindi, Kejriwal wrote: 'राष्ट्रपिता महात्मा गांधी जी की जयंती पर उन्हें कोटि-कोटि नमन' — 'A billion salutes to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, on his birth anniversary.' He recalled that Bapu taught the entire country that 'truth and non-violence are the greatest forces,' and that 'unity against injustice is the greatest weapon.'
Kejriwal's message also carried a forward-looking edge: 'Courage and Satyagraha are your companions in facing even the greatest challenges' — a line that resonated with Gandhi's own method of moral resistance, which dismantled an empire without firing a shot.
Gandhi Jayanti and its enduring political resonance
October 2 is observed as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday in India and an occasion marked by leaders across every political persuasion. The date is also recognised by the United Nations as the International Day of Non-Violence, underscoring Gandhi's stature as a global symbol of peaceful protest.
The principles Kejriwal highlighted — Satyagraha, or 'truth-force,' and ahimsa (non-violence) — remain touchstones in Indian public life, regularly invoked by political movements seeking moral legitimacy for civil resistance. For AAP, a party that built its early identity around anti-corruption agitation, the Gandhian vocabulary of mass mobilisation and principled defiance carries particular ideological weight.
As India pauses to remember the man who shaped its independence, Kejriwal's tribute is a reminder that Gandhi's methods — patient, non-violent, and rooted in collective will — still set the terms of political aspiration in the world's largest democracy.
Point of View
The Gandhian lexicon is never purely commemorative. The reference to 'courage and Satyagraha as companions in facing great challenges' lands differently when read against the backdrop of AAP's recent electoral and legal battles. Gandhi Jayanti, observed nationally and globally, gives every political actor a shared platform — how each chooses to frame the tribute often reveals as much about present intent as historical reverence.
NationPress
2 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Arvind Kejriwal post about Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, 2026?
October 2 is Gandhi Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and a national holiday in India. Kejriwal posted a tribute honouring Gandhi's teachings of truth, non-violence, and Satyagraha.
What is Satyagraha and why did Kejriwal mention it?
Satyagraha, meaning 'truth-force,' was Gandhi's method of non-violent civil resistance. Kejriwal invoked it as a companion in facing great challenges, a phrase consistent with AAP's tradition of framing its politics in Gandhian moral terms.
What is Gandhi Jayanti?
Gandhi Jayanti is observed every year on October 2 to mark the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation. It is a national holiday in India and also recognised by the UN as the International Day of Non-Violence.
What did Kejriwal say about Mahatma Gandhi?
Kejriwal said Gandhi taught the country that truth and non-violence are the greatest forces, that unity against injustice is the greatest weapon, and that courage and Satyagraha are companions in facing even the toughest challenges.
How old would Mahatma Gandhi be in 2026?
Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869. In 2026 he would have turned 157 years old.
