Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the nation in celebrating Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary on Wednesday by declaring India open defecation free.
Modi will address 20,000 sarpanchs from all over the country at the Sabarmati Riverfront, just a few kilometers away from the Sabarmati Ashram, set up by the Mahatma, in Gujarat.
According to Gujarat's Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, half of the sarpanchs will be from Gujarat. Ministers, representatives of NGOs and Gandhians will also attend the programme.
It was in 2014 that the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre had taken up the campaign of Swachh Bharat.
Modi will arrive in the evening at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. After being welcomed by party workers, he will visit the Sabarmati Ashram and pay homage to the Mahatma. From there he will go to the Riverfront to address the sarpanchs.
During their trip to Gujarat, the sarpanchs will visit different places associated with Mahatma Gandhi in the state. The sarpanchs will be divided into four zones for the visit.
On Wednesday, the prime minister will also visit and perform aarti at the the Vibrant Gujarat Navratri Festival that is going on at the GMDC ground.
The 150th birth anniversary celebration of Mahatma Gandhi saw various initiatives being taken up by the state government and the Centre. The much awaited National Salt Satyagrah Memorial has come up at Dandi in South Gujarat.
According to sources, Modi is likely to make some important announcements to develop the places associated with Mahatma Gandhi.
Meanwhile, in a significant move on the eve of Gandhi Jayanti, the Gujarat government announced to pardon and free 387 prisoners, who are above the age of 60 and have completed 50 per cent of their jail term. Minister of state for home and jails Pradipsinh Jadeja said that the prisoners would be freed in three phases.
During the course of the year, Gujarat has witnessed several programmes being organized by Gandhians and Gandhian institutes.
Navjivan Trust, set up by Gandhi, will for the first time take part in Frankfurt Book Fair later this month. Vivek Desai of the Trust told THE WEEK that the out of print books of Mahatma Gandhi will also be put up at the book fair. In the last one year, the Trust has organised various programmes for the jail inmates and conducted examinations on Gandhi for school students. It has also begun a Gujarat University affiliated journalism course.