Esteban Cortez / The Collegian

A celebration honoring international icon of peace Mohandas K. Gandhi will take place this Sunday, Oct. 2 in the Peace Garden, but the event is a topic of contention for both sides.

The program will include a pledge against violence, along with a candlelight vigil for world peace and a re-enactment of the salt march. Cultural dances are also scheduled.

“We have observed Gandhi’s birthday in the Peace Garden every year since 1990,” said Dr. Sudarshan Kappor, Fresno State professor emeritus and organizer of Gandhi’s celebration. “Since then, we have been sharing the philosophies, dreams and visions of Gandhi with the university and the surrounding community.”

However, not everyone feels that such an event is justified.

Fresno State student Ramanpueet Kaur will not attend the event because of injustices committed against other Sikhs like herself.

“I have heard of the Gandhi event but I might not be attending because I am not interested,” Kaur said. “How people know him is one face. Gandhi has several faces, not every person is perfect and neither was Gandhi.”

Kaur refers to the lack of support Indian citizens who practiced Sikhism received from Gandhi.

“Gandhi was a Hindu and India is a very diverse country with several religions, including Sikhism,” Kaur added. “There were some times when Gandhi only supported Hindus. I’m a Sikhs, so I defenetly don’t like Gandhi for that.”

Kaur added that even though Sikhs helped Gandhi’s movement, they were never acknowledged for their role in the movement.

Bhajan Singh Bhinder, who protested the placement of Gandhi’s statue in San Francisco in 2010, said when interviewed by baycitizen.org, “The whole world sees Gandhi as a symbol of non-violence but we are the victims of generations of his racist policies.”

Despite these opposing views, many students and professors perceive Gandhi as a symbol of peace.

“When I think of Gandhi, I think mostly of peace. I do think it is important for students to know about Gandhi and what he did because of his history.­ He changed things,” Fresno State student Gursharam Virk said.

“Gandhi’s birthday has become an international observance.­ In 2007, the UN declared it as an international day of non-violence,” Kappor said. “This promoted cultural peace throughout the world, 192 countries observed this.”

The event will feature special guest Honorable Muhammad Emyat Hossain, who is the consul general of Bangladesh.­ President John D. Welty and Associate Provost Dr. Ellen Junn will also be in attendance.

The free event is being hosted by the Central Valley Cultural Heritage Institute. The formal part of the event is schedule from 4 to 6 p.m. and the informal portion will take place between 6 and 7:30 p.m.

The event is the first of several events planned for­ “Stop the Hate and End the Violence” week.