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Tag: Sabarmati Ashram

  • Johnson becomes first UK PM to visit Sabarmati Ashram, calls Gandhi extraordinary man

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: Visiting British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday termed Mahatma Gandhi an “extraordinary man” who mobilised the principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for better.

    Johnson became the first prime minister of the UK to visit the Sabarmati Ashram here, the place from where Gandhi led India’s struggle for freedom from the British colonial rule for more than a decade.

    In fact, the Tory politician is also the first British prime minister to visit Gujarat post 1947.

    “It is an immense privilege to come to the ashram of this extraordinary man, and to understand how he mobilised such simple principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for better,” Johnson wrote in the visitors’ book at the Gandhi ashram.

    “It is an immense privilege to come to the Ashram of this extraordinary man, and to understand how he mobilised such simple principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for the better”: UK PM Boris Johnson’s message at Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad pic.twitter.com/z9Gj6FrB52
    — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2022
    While the British PM was effusive in his praise for the Mahatma, during the freedom struggle such praise for Gandhi from Britain’s ruling class was rare.

    Winston Churchill famously called Gandhi a “half- naked fakir” as the latter opposed sending Indian soldiers to fight for Britain in the Second World War and launched the Quit India movement in 1942. The Mahatma’s call to use the charkha (spinning wheel) and boycott foreign goods including cloth hit the textile industry in Manchester.

    Charkha became a very potent symbol of the anti-colonial struggle. During his visit, prime minister Johnson tried his hand at the charkha at Hriday Kunj, the hut where Gandhi lived. A replica of charkha was also presented to him.

    The Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust also gifted two books to him. One of the books was “Guide to London”, an unpublished book which consists of Gandhi’s suggestions on how to live in London.

    The other book was “The Spirit’s Pilgrimage”, autobiography of Mirabehn or Madeleine Slade, Gandhi’s British-born follower. Johnson is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Friday.

  • Rajasthan CM Gehlot decries decision to modernise Sabarmati Ashram

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Friday said the decision to modernise the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad by altering its original form is wrong.

    He alleged the Centre and the Gujarat government are trying to erase the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi by tampering with the Ashram’s basic structure.

    “The decision of the Central government and the Government of Gujarat to destroy the original form of Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad and modernise it is completely wrong. This decision is being criticised not only in India but all over the world.

    With this decision, the simplicity and purity of Sabarmati Ashram will end, he said in a series of tweets. He said that Mahatma Gandhi led a simple life and devoted it to the freedom struggle and to the service of humanity.

    “Creating state-of-the-art and luxury infrastructure in the ashram of the Mahatma who lived a simple life is contrary to the originality of his life. Bapu’s thoughts and principles are reflected in the Sabarmati Ashram,” he said.

    “All the intellectuals have opposed this move by writing a letter to the Central government. I again appeal to the Central government not to tamper with the original form of Sabarmati Ashram. Instead of trying to earn money from it, let it be a centre of contemplation,” he said.

    The Gandhi Ashram on the banks of the Sabarmati river, also known as Sabarmati Ashram, was where Mahatma Gandhi lived between 1917 and 1930 as he led the freedom struggle.

    It is now managed by the Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust.

  • Freedom fighters remembered as PM inaugurates mega Independance Day celebrations

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  Launching the 75-week long celebrations of India’s 75th years of Independence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday turned the spotlight on unsung heroes who waged freedom struggles in various parts of the country.

    He specially recalled battles fought by the tribal in North-east, Jharkhand, Telangana and other parts of the country which were led by Kol, Khasi, Santhal, Naga, Bhil and Munda leaders. “Each and every struggle and fight was India’s strong declaration of truth against the forces of falsehood, a testimony to India’s independent temperament.

    These struggles represented the same consciousness and valour which was evident from the days of Ram, Kurukshetra of Mahabharat, Haldighati and the roar of Veer Shivaji,” said the Prime Minister. He flagged off a yatra from Sabarmati Ashram to commemorate the Dandi march.

    Modi also mentioned freedom movements, including Sanyasi, Ramoshi, Kittur, Travancore, Bardoli Satyagrah, Champaran Satyagrah, Sambhalpur, Chuar, Bundel and Kuka uprisings, which gave strength to the larger mobilisation of the people to fight.

    On Saturday, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar will inaugurate exhibitions to commemorate Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav. He will inaugurate seven exhibitions.  The ministry’s  Bureau of Outreach Communication on Friday organised photo exhibitions at 32 locations in various states.

  • 75-week celebrations of 75th year of Independence: Modi to flag off Yatra from Gandhi Ashram

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  To launch the 75-week long celebrations of India’s 75th year of Independence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off a “Padyatra” from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on Friday, which will be accompanied by the beginning of a series of other cultural activities across the country.

    A national implementation committee headed by the Union Minister for Home Affairs, Amit Shah, has been constituted to chalk out policies and planning of various events to commemorate “Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav”, with the government looking for a larger people’s participation. 

    The government on Thursday said that the “Padyatra”, which will be led by Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel, will be undertaken by 81 marchers from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi in Navsari.

    The 241-mile journey will end on April 5, lasting 25 days.

    “The Padyatra will be joined by different groups of people on the way to Dandi,” said the government in a media statement on Thursday. Patel will lead the first lap of 75 kilometers of the “Padyatra”.

    The government has also lined up curtain-raiser activities, which include a film, website, songs, Aatmanirbhar Charkha and Aatmanirbhar incubator.

    “Besides, a cultural programme presenting the celebration of the indomitable spirit of the country will also be organised. It will include music, dance, recitation, reading of the Preamble (each line in a different language, representing the different regions of the country). Depicting the youth power, as the future of India, there will be 75 voices in the choir as well as 75 dancers in the event,” added the government in the statement.

    Also, the state governments and the Union Territories have planned a number of activities on Friday for the launch of the 75-week long celebrations, which will culminate with the Indepence Day in 2021.

    Independence Day mega celebrations live on DD

    The I&B ministry has drawn up coverage plans for the 75th Independence Day celebrations.

    Starting from Friday, these events will showcase achievements of 75 years and give a framework for resolutions for the next 25 years. DD will cover these events live.

  • PM to launch ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ on Friday, flag off march from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Friday inaugurate the ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ event by flagging off a 241-mile march from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to Dandi in Gujarat’s Navsari district to commemorate the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence, Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel said Thursday.

    Addressing the media, the culture and tourism minister said the government has decided to organise a series of events to commemorate the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence as ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ from March 12, 2021, to August 15, 2022.

    States and Union Territories will also organize programmes on Friday, he said.

    “Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ and flag-off the march from Sabarmati Ashram tomorrow.

    “The 25-day march will cover 241 miles from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to Dandi in Navsari, and will end on April 5.

    Eighty-one people will participate in the padyatra and different groups of people will be joining it on the way to Dandi.

    “I will lead the first lap of 75 kilometers till Nadiad,” Patel said.

    Explaining the significance of choosing March 12 for the padyatra, the minister said it was on this day in 1930 that Mahatma Gandhi took out the famous Dandi march along with 81 people to break the law imposing tax on salt.

    The government has decided to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Independence as ‘Amrut Mahotsav’.

    Weekly events will be organized during the next 75 weeks till August 15 next year.

    Every week, an event will be held.

    To ensure involvement of all citizens in this mahotsav, various programmes will be organised with the culture ministry in supporting role, Patel said.

  • Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat reopens for visitors after 9 months

    By PTI
    AHMEDABAD: The historic Sabarmati Ashram here has reopened its doors for visitors, after remaining closed for over nine months due to the coronavirus outbreak, an ashram official said on Tuesday.

    With social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols in place, the premises has been opened for the public from Monday, the ashram’s director, Atul Pandya, told PTI.

    Before the outbreak of COVID-19, the ashram, a former home of Mahatma Gandhi and a historic centre linked to India’s Independence movement, used to receive a large number of visitors every day.

    It is managed by the Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust.

    “The ashram was shut for visitors since March 20 last year following the coronavirus outbreak. From Monday, we have once again opened the premises for visitors,” Pandya said.

    “People can visit the ashram between 10 am and 5 pm. We have deployed our staff to guide them to maintain social distancing,” he said.

    Sanitiser dispensers have been placed at 18 different places in the premises for the visitors, the official said.

    Currently, the museum and ‘Hriday Kunj’, the house inside the ashram where Mahatma Gandhi and his wife had once lived, have been opened for the public, while the book shop, Khadi shop and charkha gallery in the premises will remain closed, he said.

    “People will touch things at these shops and the charkha gallery, which is not advisable in the present situation.

    Thus, we have restricted the entry of visitors at these places. We are putting in place all possible measures to stop the spread of the virus,” Pandya said.

    The ashram, where the Father of the Nation resided between 1917 and 1930, was a major tourist attraction, both with domestic and foreign travellers, before the outbreak of COVID-19.

    On an average, around 2,000 people used to visit this historical place every day, Pandya said, adding that the footfalls are now going to be much less in the wake of the pandemic.