PM Modi dedicates Salt Satyagraha memorial and museum to nation

Surat, Jan 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday dedicated to the nation the National Salt Satyagraha Memorial and Museum at Dandi in Gujarat's Navsari district on Mahatma Gandhi's 71st death anniversary.

The memorial has statues of Mahatma Gandhi and 80 'satyagrahis' who had marched with him during the historic Dandi Salt March (also called Dandi March) in 1930.

During his day-long visit to the state, he will also lay foundation stone for extension of the terminal building at Surat Airport.

The Terminal building is being constructed at a cost of Rs.354 Crore with an area of over 25,500 square metres. It will be an eco-friendly sustainable building, using solar energy and LED lighting.

In Surat, PM will interact with the youth at the New India Youth conclave. He will also inaugurate Smt. Rasilaben Sevantilal Shah Venus Hospital and visit the facilities there.

PM's next destination will be Dandi in Navsari district of Gujarat. Here, he will dedicate the National Salt Satyagraha Memorial to the nation, on Bapu's Punya Tithi. The memorial has statues of Mahatma Gandhi and 80 Satyagrahis who had marched with him during the historic Dandi Salt March.

The Salt Satyagraha March, better known as 'Dandi March', was a landmark event in the freedom struggle.

As part of the civil disobedience movement against the British rule, 80 Satyagrahis led by Gandhi marched 241 miles from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to the coastal village of Dandi and made salt from sea water, thus breaking the Salt Law imposed by the British.

Before visiting Dandi, the prime minister will lay foundation stone for extension of the terminal building at Surat Airport.
PM Modi will also inaugurate Smt Rasilaben Sevantilal Shah Venus Hospital in Surat.

On return to Surat from Dandi, he will interact with participants at the New India Youth conclave. This will be PM Modi's second visit to Gujarat this month. He had visited the state on January 19 to dedicate the Armoured System Complex at Hazira besides attending the Vibrant Gujarat Summit on January 17 and 18.