“Today’s generation usually mistakes freedom for willfulness. They lead a lawless life and defend themselves in the name of freedom. Freedom is different from willfulness,” said of Government Girls’ College (Balmatta) Principal Dr Radhakrishna.

Speaking at the independence day celebrations organised by Mahatma Gandhi Peace Foundation at Tagore Park here on Wednesday, he opined that one should make sure that one’s individual freedom is not gained at the cost of others’ freedom.

Speaking on the different tenets of Gandhism, he said that ‘non-co-operation’ is the best step to take whenever freedom is threatened.

Non-violence should be practiced like a religion, he said and added that Gandhism is a way of life that should be practiced in daily life.

 ‘Shanti’ is within ourselves. Never search for it anywhere else threatening others’ ‘Shanti’, Dr Radhakrishna said and added that the right thoughts lead to ‘Shanti’.  “We think of only our rights and not duties,” he said and added that we have no right without doing our duty. He urged all students to read Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography, ‘The story of my experiments with truth’. 

Vice President of the Foundation and veteran freedom fighter K K Uchil and Secretary of the foundation P Sadananda gave away their messages for the day. President of the foundation K Purushotham Shetty presided.