Ahmedabad: The Congress on Wednesday started the ‘Azadi Gaurav Yatra’ from Gandhi Ashram in Gujarat to commemorate 75 years of independence. In this, the role of the party in the freedom struggle and the development of the country after 1947 will be underlined. It is also believed to be the beginning of the party’s campaign for the Gujarat Assembly elections. A Congress leader said party president Sonia Gandhi and MP Rahul Gandhi decided to organize a yatra to “make our new generation aware of the sacrifices made by our leaders in achieving independence from the British Raj”. The yatra will pass through four states before reaching its final stop at Delhi’s Raj Ghat on June 1.
On this occasion, Congress leaders said that in the next ten days, a foot march of 1,200 km would be taken out in five districts of Gujarat. Hundreds of Congress Seva Dal members attended the prayer meeting organized at ‘Hriday Kunj’ of the ashram this morning and then started the padyatra with the party’s flag in their hands. Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, started all the major activities for the attainment of independence from Sabarmati Ashram. He lived in this ashram for several years, before embarking on the Dandi Yatra against the salt law on March 12, 1930.
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He said that the yatra is being organized to commemorate 75 years of independence and to highlight the role of Congress in the freedom struggle and its contribution in the development of the country after independence. The march was flagged off by the Congress leadership, including Gujarat affairs in-charge Raghu Sharma, state unit president Jagdish Thakor. Sharma told reporters, “As the country is celebrating 75 years of India’s independence, our National President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have taken a look at the efforts made by our leaders in helping the new generation get freedom from the British Raj. It has been decided to organize ‘Azadi ki Gaurav Yatra’ to make them aware about the sacrifices made.
He said that the Yatra will pass through five districts of Gujarat in the next ten days before entering Rajasthan. The yatra will pass through Haryana and Delhi before terminating at Raj Ghat, a memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi. This journey will be completed in 42 days. Lalji Desai of Seva Dal said, “At least 100 volunteers will be present during the foot march. More members and supporters will join him as he passes through four states in the next two months.
Traditional performances by local artists and cultural programs will also be organized during the visit. Significantly, Gujarat is considered a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Assembly elections are to be held here in December. (agency)