See this extract from a front-page of THE TELEGRAPH (30th Jan 2006), where we find the source of Sonia (and Rahul) Gandhi's inspiration for taking up the idea of a Non-Violence Day: AHIMSA FINDS TEEN VOICE - by Charu Sudan Kasturi (extracts): Arjun Singh (the Union human resource development minister) is very excited about the concept.%u201D says Shakeel Ahmad Khan. Ju-hee and her friends are thrilled at the overwhelming response to what started out as %u201Cjust a simple initiative%u201D. Senior academics in India are equally excited. %u201CI would like to see the appeal for January 30 being observed as International Day of Non-Violence become a living line that will attract and compel millions of people over the coming years to probe the roots of violence,%u201D said NCERT director Krishna Kumar. Historian Romila Thapar believes Gandhi ought to be naturally attractive to the youth. %u201CGreat men like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King were influenced by Gandhi in their youth. This new initiative is exciting; it might once again get Indian youngsters attracted to Gandhi,%u201D Thapar said. Priya Dutt, Congress MP and daughter of the late Sunil Dutt, welcomed the appeal and said she intends to work out %u201Can action plan%u201D with other young politicians like Rahul Gandhi.
