From Varanasi to Delhi: Rajghat to Rajghat, Gandhians on the march

By Rosamma Thomas*

Sarva Seva Sangh, publisher of books on the freedom struggle and related subjects, with its offices at Rajghat, Varanasi, was displaced by the Varanasi district administration and Indian Railways in July 2023. In August 2023, although the matter was still in court, the authorities demolished most of the buildings on the 13-acre plot on the banks of the Ganga.

Now, Gandhians have decided to undertake a nearly 800 km march to protest and press for justice – from Rajghat, Varanasi, to Rajghat, Delhi. The marchers will set off on Gandhi Jayanti, 2025; and arrive in the national capital on November 26, marking the anniversary of the day in 1949 when the Constitution of independent India was adopted by the Constituent Assembly.

Gandhians have been in protest mode to reclaim the land and restart activities at Rajghat, Varanasi, where regular classes were earlier held for children of boatmen and ragpickers. Books on the freedom struggle were made available cheap to a large number of readers, thanks to the press that operated at those premises. The Gandhians on protest in the two years since the takeover of their campus in Varanasi have used fasts and dharnas, tools of protest Gandhi used against the British empire.

Independent India now witnesses a spate of isolated protests – bank employees protesting privatization of public sector banks, loco pilots of the Indian Railways protest seeking timely recruitment of additional staff and proper rest and toilet breaks, workers protest the repeal of 44 labour laws and the introduction of the new labour codes, farmers demand legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price, youth protest frequent examination paper leakages that stall government recruitment, villagers protest takeover of their lands for mining or large projects without adequate compensation. All this, even as instances of brazen manipulation of voter rolls and engineered election results are surfacing, leaving no doubt about the “hackability” of elections in India.

It is at this time that even the Gandhians have decided to set out on their long march; they march in solidarity with workers, farmers, youth, students, and the poor oppressed, who struggle to make ends meet at a time of high inflation and stagnant wages.

Chandan Pal, president of the Sarva Seva Sangh, with its headquarters in Wardha, Maharashtra, and Sarita Behen, of Vinobha Ashram, Gagode village in Maharashtra, will be part of this march. Among the slogans raised is, “We will not tolerate injustice, peaceful struggle will continue till justice is achieved.”

---

*Freelance journalist

Comments

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

The golden crop: How turmeric is transforming women's lives in tribal India

By Vikas Meshram* When the lush green fields of turmeric sway in the tribal belt of southern Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, it is not merely a spice crop — it is the golden glow of self-reliance. In villages where even basic spices once had to be bought from the market, the very soil today is yielding a prosperity that has transformed the lives of thousands of families. At the heart of this transformation is the initiative of Vaagdhara, which has linked turmeric with livelihoods, nutrition, and village self-governance — gram swaraj.

Beyond the election manifesto: Why climate is now a kitchen table issue

By Vikas Meshram* March has long been a month of gentle transition, the period when winter softly retreats and a mild warmth signals nature’s renewal. Yet, in recent years, this dependable rhythm has been disrupted. This year, since the beginning of March, temperatures across vast swathes of the country have shattered previous records, soaring to between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius in some regions. This is not a mere fluctuation in the weather; it is a serious and alarming indicator of climate change .

As India logs historic emissions drop, expert warns govt against 'policy blunders'

By A Representative In a significant development that underscores the rapid transformation of India's energy landscape, new data reveals the country recorded its largest drop in power sector emissions in 2025. However, a top power sector analyst has urged the Union Government to view this "silver lining" as a stark warning against continuing to invest in new coal, large hydro, and nuclear projects, which he argues could become "redundant" stranded assets.

The selective memory of a violent city: Uttam Nagar and the invisible victims of Delhi

By Sunil Kumar* Hundreds of murders take place in Delhi every year, yet only a few incidents become topics of nationwide discussion. The question is: why does this happen? Today, the incident in Uttam Nagar has become the centre of national debate. A 26-year-old man, Tarun Kumar, was killed following a dispute that reportedly began after a balloon hit a small child. In several colonies of Delhi, slogans such as “Jai Shri Ram” and “Vande Mataram” are being raised while demanding the death penalty for Tarun’s killers. As a result, nearly 50,000 residents of Hastsal JJ Colony are now living in what resembles a state of confinement.

NGO Arunoday’s journey of support and struggle: Standing firm with the distressed

By Bharat Dogra It was a situation of acute distress. Nearly ten thousand people returning to their villages during the COVID-19 pandemic had gathered at the border of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh near Kanha. Exhausted after walking long distances with little or no food, they were desperate for relief. Yet entry could not be granted without completing essential records and complying with pandemic rules.

How wars are undermining climate promises even as accelerating global warming

By N.S. Venkataraman* Since 1995, global climate conferences have convened annually, with the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) held in November 2024. These gatherings attract world leaders and generate extensive media coverage, raising hopes of decisive strategies to address the climate emergency. Yet, despite lofty promises and ambitious targets, the crisis remains unabated.

Jerusalem's Al Aqsa mosque under siege: A test of Muslim solidarity and Palestine’s future

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* In the cacophony of Israel’s and the United States’ attack on Iran, one piece of news has been buried under the debris of war: Israel has closed the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem to Palestinian worshippers during the holy month of Ramadan. The closure, announced as indefinite, affects the third most revered mosque in the Islamic world.

Search This Blog