Amit Shah kickstarts 'Gandhi Sankalp Yatra': Over 3,200 BJP MPs, MLAs, other elected representatives to join party's massive event

BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday flagged off the party’s main programme for the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary, the ‘Gandhi Sankalp Yatra’. The party, which has been commemorating Gandhi Jayanti in a grand manner ever since its previous run in the power, is all set to mark the milestone event with much aplomb and grandeur. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Rajghat and Vijay Ghat and paid his tributes to Mahatma Gandhi as is the custom every year. He will also visit Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat later in the day and will announce his contribututions to global efforts to curb pollution. However, the BJP as an individual party will also held several events to mark the occasion, apart from the government’s initiatives. Shah, who flagged off the 150-kilometre march in New Delhi, said, “BJP leaders and workers are going to march 150 kilometres to propagate Gandhi ji’s principles to all the people.” The ‘Gandhi Sankalp Yatra’ will be held from 2 to 31 October across the country. However, shorter dregs of the main event and other supporting campaigns will go on till 30 January, which is the Mahatma’s death anniversary. [caption id=“attachment_7439321” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Amit Shah speaking during during ‘Gandhi Sankalp Yatra’ in Delhi on Wednesday. ANI[/caption] Additionally, BJP top brass including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP working president JP Nadda and Union ministers Prakash Javadekar and Piyush Goyal will be part of several smaller events that are aimed at spreading Gandhian philosophy amongst people. The ministers will also attend the ‘Sankalp Yatra’ at different places in the national capital. The home minister has also asked BJP leaders to cover at least 2 kilometres on foot on 2 October and make the area plastic-free. Party leaders are also expected to to start campaigns in their constituencies to propagate Gandhi’s ideals, including on cleanliness, use of khadi and on tree plantation. The party had earlier said that its 3,229 MPs, MLAs, other elected representatives and office-bearers will join the yatra. All elected representatives were asked to undertake ‘padyatra’ (foot march) for 15 days in their respective constituencies to spread the message of Gandhi as well as create awareness about the call of the prime minister on cleanliness, single-use plastic and use of Khadi. A party leader said they will be organising different events this year to observe Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary. “The BJP is committed to implementing the ideals and principles of Gandhi. We have to reach every household with Gandhi’s message of cleanliness, non-violence, swadeshi, swaraj and saadgi (simplicity),” an official statement said quoting Shah. The party leaders have been asked to hold rallies, public meetings, press conferences and programs of ‘Prabhat Pheri’. Shah also asked them to propagate Gandhi’s message on eradicating social evils. He told the party leaders to organise programmes with equal devotion and dedication in the areas where its presence is weak.  After becoming Prime Minister in 2014, Modi started cleanliness drive across the country. With inputs from agencies