By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : A 240-mile walk in the US against corruption in India organised by a group of NRIs inspired by the historic Dandi March led by Mahatma Gandhi culminated with events across the US.Starting at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, San Diego, California March 12, “Dandi March II” passed through Los Angeles and ended March 26 at Gandhi Statue, San Francisco. The dates coincide with the dates Gandhi did his historic march in 1930.
As many as 45 cities in USA, 40 cities in India and 8 other countries globally joined the movement by organizing supporting events March 26, the organisers of the march led by Jawahar Kambhampati and Srihari Atluri said.
“While Dandi March I was a campaign of nonviolent protest against the British salt monopoly in colonial India, Dandi march II is a campaign against corruption in India,” they said.
Indians across the globe, as far as from Nagpur to New Jersey and Sydney to Seattle shouted in one voice to enact ‘Jan Lokpal’ bill and ratify the UN Convention against Corruption, the group said. Their slogans included “corruption ko hatana hai.Bharat ko bachana hai” or “we will end corruption to save India”.
The marchers also chanted “Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram”, Gandhiji’s favourite prayer. While volunteers stopped at the signals/junctions shouting “Bharat Mata ki Jai”, inspired onlookers in the cars waved and honked to show support.
In US, on the last day, events were conducted in 14 cities with major gatherings in San Francisco, Seattle, New Jersey, Houston and Carbondale.
An open letter addressed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was released globally at every location that they will not be mute spectators while corruption grows boundless back in India and as such system changes should be brought in.
Later Kambhampati, who was the initiator of Dandi March II, “submitted a memorandum to Mahatma Gandhi to save the country from corruption.”
Many of the marchers are planning to continue the movement by joining Anna Hazare’s fast in Delhi April 5 for the same cause.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at [email protected])