The Gujarat Congress on Monday said it had postponed the 386-kilometre ‘Gandhi Sandesh Yatra’ aimed at highlighting the current situation of the country through a symbolic Dandi March.
Starting from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, the yatra was supposed to trace the route of Gandhiji’s historic Salt March and cover a distance of 386 kilometres in 26 days between March 12 and April 6.
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“In view of the increasing impact of coronavirus, the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee has decided to postpone the Gandhi Sandesh Yatra starting from Sabarmati Ashram on March 12,” Congress party’s Gujarat in-charge Rajiv Satav tweeted.
In order to ensure that the yatra does not put in peril public health as thousands are likely to join it over 26 days, the party leadership on Monday decided to postpone it, the Congress said in a statement.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to take part in the yatra from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on March 12, while its interim chief Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were expected to be present at its conclusion in Dandi in Navsari district on April 6.
It was on March 12, 1930 that Mahatma Gandhi started Dandi March from Sabarmati Ashram to break the salt tax law imposed by the British government, which concluded on April 6 that year after covering a distance of 384 kilometres.
