SPEECH BY ADVOCATE K.PRATAP REDDY, PRESIDENT OF VIGIL INDIA
Rev.Dr. Isaac Mar Philoxenos, Chair Person of this function
Hon’ble Shri M. Hamid Ansari, the Vice President of India
Hon’ble Shri. H.R.Bharadwaj, Governor, Karnataka,
Hon’ble Shri Siddha Ramayya, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Karnataka,
and other dignitaries on the Dias and Ladies and Gentlemen,
I feel it as a great honour, to be invited to address this August gathering at these two very glorious celebrations; the Golden Jubilee of ECUMENICAL CHRISTIAN CENTRE and the Birth Centenary of a legendary figure the late Rev. Dr. M.A. Thomas, founder of both these Humanitarian Institutions, ECC and Vigil India
I had the privilege of being closely associated with the late Rev. M.A.Thomas for two decades and also with these two historic institutions he founded. My association with the late Rev. Thomas started when he was traveling around in this country to mobilize and identify people in different parts of India
I learned from Rev. M.A Thomas that the expressions of “Ecumenism” or “ecumenical” are not confined to Christian theology but have a much wider meaning pertaining to the unity of Humanity.
Rev.M.A. Thomas’s philosophy and motto about the work of ECC was: - “One Family Under Heaven”. He demonstrated the practical applications of this motto in all his actions through the ECC as well as through the work of the Vigil India Movement. This motto of Rev.M.A.Thomas was synonymous with the ancient Hindu concept of VASUDAIVA KUTUMBAKAM. He inculcated the spirit of inter-religious collaboration even from his student days. He was the secretary of the “Inter-Religious Student Fellowship” founded by late Dr.Sarvepally Radhakrishnan, Former President of India
At the same time Rev.M.A.Thomas never kept himself aloof from the contemporary freedom movement. He was in close association with Mahatma Gadhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru and Jaya Prakash Narayan and was a regular visitor to SEVAGRAM. Rev.M.A.Thomas was a true Nationalist, Secularist and Humanist. Whenever the country was bleeding, either on account of communal riots or otherwise, any where in the country, Rev.M.A.Thomas raised his voice with concern which were echoing from both these institutions, ECC & Vigil India. At the height of the Babari Masjid controversy Rev.M.A.Thomas took very active part to solve the problem. In response to that Shri Ashok Singhal, the then president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad visited Rev. M.A Thomas and promised to work on the lines suggested by Rev. M.A.Thomas.
In his CRUSADE for protecting the Human Rights, late Rev.M.A.Thomas adopted, and never deviated from the Gandhian path of peace and Non-Violence. While being a puritan Christian in his personal life, late Rev.M.A.Thomas remained a true Gandhian, a true humanist, a true ecumenist in its real sense and spirit. It was, indeed, rare combination of following the personal faith and demonstrating the public commitment. This unique quality distinguishes the late Rev. M.A.Thomas from many other distinguished leaders of India
The most important factor in his crusade for protecting the fundamental human rights and values is that, throughout his life he was involving himself in empowering every single individual. Empowerment of the people was his life’s mission. He established a wide national network of grass root level human rights activists belonging to all religions and all sections of the society. He was very closely associated with “AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL” and was the President of its Indian Section.
Let me conclude with my humble personal Note.: While I am not boasting of knowing large number of people in my life, but I would say that among the men I met, and I worked with, I found late Rev. M.A.Thomas was the most loving and lovable person, and the best human being I ever met. Though Rev. Thomas departed from this world physically but he is still alive in our Hearts and Minds for the last two decades and shall continue to live as long as Human values are respected. I also pray that these institutions, ECC and Vigil India founded by him will continue to serve the people of our beloved country and the Humanity at large and For Ever.
K.PRATAP REDDY
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