"Vocal for local" is a wonderful tribute to Mahatama Gandhi and India's freedom fighters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today as he flagged off the beginning of celebrations to mark 75 years of Independence.
The Prime Minister once again made the pitch for self-reliance and urged people to buy locally-made products.
"Today's #AmritMahotsav programme begins from Sabarmati Ashram, from where the Dandi March began. The March had a key role in furthering a spirit of pride and Aatmanirbharta among India''s people. Going #VocalForLocal is a wonderful tribute to Bapu and our great freedom fighters," PM Modi tweeted.
In another tweet, he asked social media users to buy a local product and share a photo using the hashtag #VocalForLocal. PM Modi said tweets related to "aatmanirbharta" or self-reliance will be disaplyed on a charkha, or a spin-wheel, that will be instealled at the Sabarmati Ashram.
The "vocal for local" slogan was popularised by PM Modi last year, during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, to help the economy recover from the crippling lockdown.
A march reenacting Mahatma Gandhi's iconic Dandi March in 1930, from the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to Dandi in coastal Gujarat, will be flagged off by PM Modi. 81 people will take part in the 25-day march, a journey of roughly 387 km, that will end on April 5.
The government has organised a number of events to mark 75 years of Independence. The activities began today, 75 weeks before August 15.
On March 12, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi embarked a historic Salt March from the Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi to protest the steep tax the British levied on salt.
(With inputs from ANI)
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