Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, is set to launch the ‘Samvidhan Satyagraha Padyatra’ from Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur on Monday. The foot march aims to oppose what Gandhi describes as the ‘politics of hate.’ It will conclude at Sevagram Ashram in Wardha on October 2, coinciding with Gandhi’s birth anniversary, which is observed as Gandhi Jayanti in India.
On Sunday, a torch march was organized in Nagpur as part of the Satyagraha Padyatra, attended by Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal. Gandhi emphasized that the yatra intends to affirm that the principles espoused by Mahatma Gandhi and enshrined in the Constitution remain vibrant in contemporary India. He noted that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) would also celebrate its foundation day and enter its centenary year on October 2.
“The yatra will oppose the politics of hatred. We will walk to promote unity and peace,” Tushar Gandhi stated. During the torch march, Sapkal urged the RSS to embrace Gandhian values and the Constitution, suggesting they should distance themselves from Nathuram Godse and the Manusmriti.
Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist from Maharashtra, is infamously known for assassinating Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, 1948, during a multi-faith prayer meeting in New Delhi.
Sapkal further claimed that despite severe rainstorms affecting the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti government has failed to provide an update to the Centre, adding that the chief minister returned without a report on the situation. He demanded swift and adequate assistance for farmers affected by the floods, warning that ministers could face restrictions in traveling throughout the state if concerns are not addressed.