World Leaders Pay Tribute to Gandhi at G20 Despite Rain

• They walk barefoot or wear slippers as a sign of respect.
• Raj Ghat memorial is a sacred site associated with Gandhi.
• Modi hosts leaders, highlighting the complex Gandhi-Godse relationship.
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World leaders braved monsoon downpours to pay their respects to Mahatma Gandhi, with many walking barefoot through puddles after the rain dampened Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s G20 program. The leaders gathered at the site where Gandhi, the apostle of non-violence, was cremated in January 1948, a day after being assassinated by a Hindu nationalist ideologue.

US President Joe Biden, along with several other visiting heads of state, opted for felt slippers as a sign of respect since normal footwear is forbidden at the site. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron joined Modi in removing their socks and shoes before walking to the marble plinth where an eternal flame honors Gandhi’s memory. A Hindu devotional hymn was performed, followed by a moment of silence, and then they left wreaths to pay homage to the peace icon.

While Modi has often paid respect to Gandhi and spoken highly of his ideals, the relationship between Modi’s Hindu nationalist party and Gandhi remains complex. The Raj Ghat memorial complex is one of New Delhi’s most sacred places, where over a million people accompanied Gandhi’s body after his assassination. Over the years, it has hosted the funerals of India’s top leaders.

Upon their arrival, world leaders bowed before Modi, who draped shawls around their necks in front of a photo of Sabarmati Ashram, a residence of Gandhi’s in Modi’s home state of Gujarat. The ashram is a popular stop for visiting world leaders, including former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania.

Gandhi’s assassin, Nathuram Godse, who was hanged for the killing the following year, has been praised by right-wing activists. They believe that Gandhi failed to prevent the partition of Britain’s colony into India and Pakistan, which prevented it from becoming a state governed by ancient Hindu scriptures. Modi has never explicitly condemned Godse or his ideology, and his government has supported the work of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a key Hindu ideologue who served as Godse’s mentor.

For Modi, this year’s G20 summit holds significant personal importance as he seeks to enhance his international statesman image ahead of national elections next year. His image has been prominently displayed on billboards and bus stops across the country to portray the gathering of the world’s top economies as a moment of national pride. The G20 summit concludes with President Biden departing for a state visit in Vietnam.

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