Himanta Biswa flags off Amrit Kalash Yatra

Guwahati, October 27 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday launched the Amrit Kalash Yatra from Guwahati to Delhi as part of the "Meri Maati Mera Desh" initiative.

Sarma arrived at the Guwahati Railway Station at about 5.45 a.m, after which he signaled the departure of the Rajdhani Express, which was heading for Delhi and carrying 270 urns full of soil.

The urns are scheduled to arrive in the national capital on Saturday in remembrance of those who lost their lives for the nation's independence.

The yatra's objective is to commemorate the martyrs and heed the example they set.

As part of the initiative, soil was collected from households in village and municipal wards in the state, and were put into urns upon mixing together on Thursday.

Meanwhile, 270 urns has also been stored at the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati. It will be later used in the foundation-laying ceremony of Assam’s largest proposed university in Gohpur.

The initiative drew controversy in Assam after thr Congress issued showcause notices to MLAs Bhaskarjyoti Baruah and Abdul Batin Khandakar for taking part in the Amrit Kalash Yatra.

Baruah is an MLA from Titabor constituency in Jorhat district, while Khandakar represents the North Abhayapuri Assembly seat.

The two MLAs claimed that the Amrit Kalash Yatra is a part of the “Meri Maati Mera Desh” program, which is a state government initiative and that is why they joined the program.

They also alleged that that there was no directive from the Congress not to attend this campaign.