NEWS

Rahul takes part in 'Dandi yatra'

Source:PTI
March 20, 2005

Congress member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi, along with Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit and Union Minister Kapil Sibal, on Sunday joined the Congress' 'Dandi Yatra', which entered the ninth day on Sunday.

The rally began from Kankapura in Anand district at the break of dawn, party sources in Ahmedabad said.

The yatra, organised to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's march to protest the salt tax of the British Raj, was flagged off by Congress president Sonia Gandhi from Sabarmati Ashram on March 12.

Rahul walked across a temporary wooden bridge over Mahi river, which was built for the yatra.

According to Congress leader Jayantibhai Parmar, Gandhiji, during his yatra, had crossed Mahi on a boat while his followers had followed him on foot, as there was little water in the river during that time. But Congress built the bridge due to increased water level, he added.

The day's walk covered 19 km and end at Kareli in Vadodara district.

This was Rahul Gandhi's first political foray outside Uttar Pradesh. He brushed aside suggestions that his presence was Congress' answer to the Bharatiya Janata Party's campaign protesting against the US decision to deny visa to Chief Minister Narendra Modi to visit that country.

"I'm here to participate in the Dandi yatra. I'm not really concerned with what the BJP is doing," he said.

The BJP is holding a 'Swabhimaan rally' in Ahmedabad to protest against the US decision.

Rahul's political ventures have so far been confined to his Lok Sabha constituency Amethi and nearby Rae Bareli in UP and a protest staged by Congress leaders outside the Parliament House when the opposition National Democratic Alliance forced adjournment of the house over the Jharkhand issue.

 

Source: PTI
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