New Delhi, Jan 18 : Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Sunday said that Ram Katha is not merely a narration of the past but a moral guide for the future and a call for world peace.

â??At a time when the world is confronted with war, violence, and a deep crisis of trust, the life and ideals of Lord Shri Ram remind us that true leadership is anchored in character, compassion, restraint, and moral courage,â?? said Gupta, while addressing a gathering on Sunday as Convenor of the Ram Katha event.

The Ram Katha is being organised till January 25 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, beginning daily at 10 a.m.

He said that the life of Lord Shri Ram teaches that power exists for service, sacrifice is strength, and religion is not ritual but moral courage principles that remain profoundly relevant to public life today.

The Ram Katha is being organised under the auspices of Ahimsa Vishwa Bharati, founded by Acharya Lokesh Muni, revered Jain saint and Founder of the World Peace Centre, as part of the World Peace Centre Mission, with Morari Bapu, spiritual leader and internationally renowned Ram Katha narrator from Gujarat, delivering the discourse.

Former President Ram Nath Kovind is serving as the Chairperson of the Organising Committee.

In his address, Gupta stated that Ram Katha has historically served as a powerful medium for spreading the values of morality, fraternity, and humanity, and remains an inseparable part of Indiaâ??s cultural and spiritual life.

He observed that Pujya Morari Bapu ji, through decades of Ram Katha in India and across the world, has carried this message of humanity to the very heart of society. He further noted that dedicating this Ram Katha to the World Peace Centre Mission reflects a conscious and purposeful commitment to the welfare of society, the nation, and the world.

The Speaker observed that the World Peace Centre has been envisioned as a moral and spiritual platform capable of responding to situations of war, violence, and conflict anywhere in the world through dialogue, compassion, and non-violent engagement.

He acknowledged that Acharya Lokesh Muni has played a seminal role in reviving and reaffirming the ancient Jain tradition of Ahimsa (non-violence) and in giving it contemporary relevance through institutional initiatives such as Ahimsa Vishwa Bharati and the World Peace Centre.

He noted that this revival of Jain non-violence, aligned with the compassionate philosophy of Lord Shri Ram, offers a credible and meaningful pathway for peace in todayâ??s fractured global environment.

Speaker Gupta emphasised that the realisation of this vision depends upon sincere and collective efforts, as the welfare of humanity and the world at large is inseparably linked to peace.

He stated that Ram Katha embodies Indiaâ??s living civilisation, where spirituality and peace-building are not separate pursuits but are deeply interwoven.

He observed that Bharat Mandapam, symbolising Indiaâ??s global identity rooted in its civilisational heritage, is a fitting venue for a programme of such spiritual, cultural, and moral significance.

/IANS