Nitish was accompanied by Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, ministers like Ashok Choudhary and Madan Mohan Jha
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar stepped into the shoes of Mahatma Gandhi on Tuesday when he walked a seven-kilometre stretch retracing the footsteps of the Father of the Nation in undivided Champaran on April 18, 1917.
The padyatra titled 'Gandhi Smriti Yatra' was a part of the centenary celebrations of Champaran satyagraha, where Mahatma Gandhi practised non-violent agitation against the British rule, for the very first time in 1917. It commenced with a 'sarvadharm prarthana' at Chandrahia village, where British rulers had served prohibitory orders to Gandhi ordering him to return to Motihari without hearing the woes of indigo planters.
While recreating the 100-year-old scenes, Nitish was accompanied by Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, ministers like Ashok Choudhary and Madan Mohan Jha and thousands of Gandhians and locals who wanted to their tributes to the Mahatma. The walk concluded at Motihari, where Nitish along with others paid floral tribute to Mahatma's statue.
However, while Nitish has largely maintained that all events related to Champaran satyagrah centenary celebrations are apolitical, his supporters accompanying him in the walk used it as an opportunity to project Nitish as a national leader in the backdrop of Gandhi's legacy. Slogans of "Agla PM kaisa ho, Nitish Kumar jaise ho" were raised by the Bihar CM's supporters during the walk.
While talking to reporters, Nitish said, "Today is a historic day when Gandhiji confronted the British though his memorable speech. It is the basic idea of satyagrah. It gave a new direction to the freedom movement." He added, "We have to fulfill Gandhi's dreams... we should take a pledge that our actions will match our words."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Nitish Kumar")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}