Gandhi did not have answer to environment problem: Amartya Sen

BEIJING: Mahatma Gandhi was a great visionary who taught the world many lessons. But his thoughts provide no answer to certain issues like international trade and global environment problems, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen told a conference here on Wednesday.
"Mahatma raised a different set of issues," he said while replying to a question asked at a conference on environment in Beijing about whether Gandhian thoughts hold the key to solving problems concerning environment degradation and climate change.

"Gandhi was even against railways," he said while pointing out that the transportation industry was a crucial aspect of the development and progress the world has seen.

Sen said he had high respect for the Mahatma and Gautam Buddha. But it is not possible to find answers to all problems from any one of the great people one admired.

He was a great admirer of Buddha but did not accept some of his views on the status of man and woman. Buddha's views on women were brought to light by his disciple, Ananda, he said.