The Hindu Business Line : The Mahatma's Dandi march, today

WHEN Gandhiji did it 75 years ago, it shook the British empire. But as Sonia Gandhi flags off the re-enactment of the 1930 `Dandi March' here on Saturday, it will simply be a show of strength by the Congress Party.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which governs the State, has maintained a studied silence on the Congress and Mahatma Gandhi Foundation-sponsored event. But that has not dampened the enthusiasm of Gandhians and Congress workers, who have descended on Gujarat from across the country.

With Sonia and senior Congress Ministers in town to flag off the 25-day yatra, local Congress leaders are leaving no stone unturned to make the event a big show for their party. There is an air of festivity in the city, with most hotel rooms booked and trains running choc-a-bloc. While Gandhiji's salt march had started with 79 people, the number of participants in the re-enactment is expected to run into thousands.

"When Gandhiji set out on the Dandi March, 79 people started with him from Sabarmati Ashram. Thousands joined the march as Gandhiji traversed the 385-km route to Dandi in South Gujarat. This time too, we expect thousands of people to join en route," said Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee President B.K. Gadhvi.

Seventy-eight people — two each from every State in the country and one each from the 26 districts of Gujarat — have been chosen to begin the March. There are no estimates on the total number of people who would ultimately take part, Gadhvi said.

The march would culminate on the beach in Dandi on April 6, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself coming down to participate in the function.

Whether out of curiosity or out of conviction, several foreigners are also joining the Dandi March even as the ordinary people of Gujarat wonder what the fuss is all about.

Local Congress leaders have even prescribed a dress code for the participants: No shorts or see-through clothes for ladies.

Not to be left behind, corporates are also trying to make their presence felt. While there is no scope for sponsorship, Reliance Infocomm has supplied a mobile telecommunications van that would offer free telephone and Internet facilities to the participants throughout their journey.

The event even has a punchline: Gandhi ateet nahi, bhavishya bhi hai (Gandhi is not just the past, but also the future). With Sonia's pictures adorning the space next to the punchline in newspaper advertisements and banners, is there a hidden message for the voters of Gujarat?

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