By Kaleem Siddiqui
An attempt to bridge the gap between India and Pakistan through “Indo – Pak Friendship and peace Yatra” led by Magsasay awardee Sandip Pandey started on 19th june from Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Ashram.
The Yatra will reach the Nadabet Indo-Pak border in Gujarat via Kalol, Nandasan , Mehsana and Patan.
Jasoda Ben, wife of Prime Minister Narendra Modi also joined the Indo Pak peace march. Welcoming the Padyatris Jasoda Ben said : “I congratulate these travellers who work for peace. I also pray for world peace to the God. ”
Jasoda Ben also condemned the killings of soldiers at borders .“Killings of the soldier either Indians or Pakistani is wrong and inhumane. No soldier should die at borders,” she said.
During the rally slogans like ‘Bharat Pakistan shanty Zindabad’ (Long liveIndo Pak peace) , ‘yudh nahi shanti chahiye’(We need peace not war) , ‘Parmanu shstr nasht karo’ (destroy nuclear weapons), ‘Dakshin asia ko prmanu mukt jahir karo’( Declare South Asia as nuclear free) were chanted.
The yatra was earlier stopped by Police in Ahmadabad on pretext of law and order disruption and many activists were arrested.
A signature campaign is also being run by the marching activists demanding to bridge the gap between nations.