Most of the letters that Mahatma Gandhi received – after India attained freedom – were about bad governance, according to V. Kalyanam, who was the Mahatma’s personal secretary.

Addressing the residents of Kavilipalayam village, he said the present situation in the country was in total contrast of what the Father of the Nation desired for. “Gandhiji lived only for a short period after independence. But he used to receive at least 15 letters a day complaining about bad governance of the then Government. Unfortunately, things have not changed much even now,” Kalyanam said and added that the British governed our nation better than it is being ruled now.

The main reason why Gandhiji wanted self governance was to ensure development in the entire nation. “During the British rule, development was concentrated only in major cities. But, Gandhiji wanted basic facilities to improve in villages as well.”

Kalyanam and Markandeyan, former Vice-Chancellor of Gandhi Gram Rural Institute, Deemed University, Dindigul, addressed the villagers on the principles of Sarvodaya. ”Policy making should start from the villages with the involvement of the people,” Markandeyan said.

Dr. Prabhu, social activist involved in bringing principles of Sarvodaya to the villages through the Sarvodaya Renaissance Movement said that politics in the country had degraded so much that it was time to bring back Sarvodaya principles or decentralisation of power.

“Sarvodaya Renaissance is a non-electoral socio-political movement founded to reinvigorate and imbibe the philosophy of Sarvodaya against the current political atmosphere to bring about a total change in political circles of not only India but also at the global level. The first doctrine of Sarvodaya Renaissance is gram swaraj,” Prabhu said.