Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma walks the Dandi trail

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Sunday walked the Dandi path from Kareli to Gajera with 80 other padyatris in Gujarat's Vadodara district. He covered a distance of about 15 km.

On March 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had flagged off the "Dandi March" from Sabarmati Ashram commencing the glorious 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'. It will conclude on April 5.

Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has said that the walk is important as we mark the 75 years of India's Independence, and the great cause initiated by Mahatma Gandhiji about 91 years ago to revolt against the British raj. Along with Minister of State in Gujarat Government Vibhavari Dave, they paid tributes to Gandhiji at Kareli.

Kareli is one of the villages, where Gandhiji had halted on his way to Dandi. The Gujarat Government maintains the hut, where Gandhiji had stayed in Kareli.

"The Dandi March shook the conscience of the world. It started with 80 people but slowly lakhs of people joined the movement to revolt against the British," he said.

Speaking to the padyatris at Kareli, he urged the youths to be proud of being an Indian. "As Indian, we should be proud of being an Indian. We should never forget the contributions and the sacrifice made by Gandhiji and other leaders, who were instrumental for India's freedom," he added.

Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inviting all Chief Ministers to be part of the trail to revisit the Dandi March, he said, "I am very happy to be in the land where Bapuji had undertaken the revolt against the British. I am indeed glad that we were given an opportunity to revisit the trail," he added.

He also told the gathering of the concerted effort being made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure growth and development in the Northeast. "He (PM) has given due attention to Northeast, which had remained neglected for years. However, under the PM's leadership, Northeast is progressing. He has visited the region more than 15 times and he has directed all Union Ministers to visit Northeast regularly. The PM has created a different development model for Northeast. I thank him on behalf of the people of Northeast," he said.

He also told the gathering that there were many people from Northeast, including Meghalaya, who revolted against the British raj. He informed the gathering about U Tirot Sing, Pa Togan Sangma and U Kiang Nongbah, who stood against the British in Khasi, Garo and Jaintia Hills. He recollected the story of U Kiang Nongbah, a freedom fighter from the Jaintia Hills, who told the people, while he was being hanged to death that if my face is towards the East, we will get freedom from India, while if my face is to the West, the British will continue to rule. When U Kiang Nongbah was hanged to death by the British, his face was towards the East; and as predicted by him, we got freedom from the British," informed the Chief Minister. He also said that the people of India should also be enlightened about freedom fighters from across the country, including Northeast and South India.

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