A 'reverse' Dandi March was organised at Bhimrad, 12 km from Surat, 86 years after a similar meeting was addressed by Mahatma Gandhi during the Salt Satyagraha. The march which was organized from Dandi on April 6, was received at Bhimrad village in the evening by the villagers. Mahatma Gandhi lookalike Jitendra Gadhyali walked around Dandi villages at Khajod. The event was attended by Gandhi's granddaughter Usha Gokani, great granddaughter Nilam Parikh, OBC leader Alpesh Thakor and Gandhian Dhirubhai Patel, amongst others.
In a tribute to the Salt Satyagraha organised by Gandhi, Gadhyali dressed up as the freedom fighter and MHS Shaikh as Maulana Azad, were welcomed with flowers by the residents of Khajod village. The march was organised with the purpose of developing Bhimrad as a historic site. Jitendra said, “People from the entire Choriyasi Taluka have converged upon here with the sole intention to develop Bhimrad as a historic site in the memory of Mahatma Gandhi. Exactly 86 years ago, Mahatma Gandhi was at Bhimrad and he addressed a public meeting on April 9. We want to develop this village into a historic spot for the future generation.”
Nilam Parikh said Bhimrad is the spot which is well mentioned in the history of Dandi March and Salt Satyagraha. During the event, Jitendra took a pinch of salt with a vow to fight to develop Bhimrad into a historic site.
