Rahul Gandhi to visit historic Swaraj Ashram during yatra to pay tribute to Sardar Patel

Ahmedabad: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will offer prayers at temples and visit the historic Swaraj Ashram at Bardoli to pay tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel during the Gujarat leg of the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra', party functionaries said on Monday.

The yatra will enter the state at Dahod at around 3 pm on March 7 and will cover 400 kilometres across seven districts over four days, Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil said.

"There will be 27 corner meetings and six public gatherings as part of the yatra's Gujarat leg. Some of the distance will be covered using cars and buses, while foot marches will be held in urban areas," Gohil told reporters.

On March 8, Gandhi will offer prayers to mark Mahashivratri and tribal women in traditional attire will welcome him since it will also be International Women's Day, he said.

During the yatra, Gandhi will also visit the historic Swaraj Ashram in Bardoli in Surat district, which is associated with Sardar Patel, on March 10.

It was built in 1922 by Sardar Patel as his residence and served as a centre for planning and executing the Bardoli Satyagraha, a farmers' agitation and nationalist movement against increased taxation on farmers by the British.

Mahatma Gandhi stayed at the ashram for a month every year between 1936 and 1941, party leader Siddharth Patel said.

"On March 10, the Nyay Yatra will visit Swaraj Ashram at Bardoli. When we are talking about justice, then Bardoli Satyagrah assumes significance. It established that people can themselves fight for justice. Sardar Patel stayed here for several years in a room named Sardar Nivas," he said.

The yatra, which began in the strife-torn northeastern state of Manipur, will culminate in Mumbai on March 20-21 after covering 6,713 kilometres across 110 districts over a period of 67 days, as per party leaders.