Ahemdabad: The COVID-19 scare not only casted its shadow on major Indian festivals but also on the 90th anniversary of one of the most significant events in India's struggle for independence, the epic 'Dandi March'.
A march planned to spread the message of 'Truth, non-violence and harmony' to commemorate 90 years of Dandi March led by Mahatma Gandhi against British salt laws has been cancelled due to the coronavirus scare that has gripped the country.
On March 12, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi had walked from the Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi to break the salt tax law imposed by the British. It was an act of civil disobedience to protest the British rule in India.
It was on 6 April 1930, that a trek of 385.6-km to the coastal town of Dandi on the Arabian Sea, covering 47 villages, came to an end after 24 days and nights.
Every year on this day hundreds of visitors from across the country visit the National Salt Satyagraha Memorial in Dandi, Gujarat. But this year it was closed for all the visitors and all the programmes including the mass prayer was cancelled owing to the nationwide lockdown.
Meanwhile, on this occasion Dandi village panchayat sanitized the entire village as well as the national memorial, which is spread across 15 acres.
Dandi village sarpanch Vimal Patel said, "Today is the 90th anniversary of Dandi March and the national memorial is closed for the visitors due to the lockdown. The entire village is standing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his battle against COVID-19. Adhering to his appeals, we sanitized the entire village as well as the national memorial."
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