PIB News Update: Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is organizing 10 cycle rallies all over India, as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav being celebrated across the country. The longest of the 10 rallies will begin from the historical Yerwada Jail in Pune and conclude at Rajghat, Delhi. Along the 1,703-km-long route, the rally will cover historically significant spots and birthplaces of heroes of India’s freedom struggle, over a period of 27 days.
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The rally is being flagged off from Yerwada Jail, Pune at 8 A.M. on Saturday, 4th September, 2021. Yerwada Jail is the place where historic Poona Act was signed when Gandhiji fasted to protest against Communal award. He was housed three times in this jail.
The rally will terminate at Rajghat, the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi, on 2nd October, the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, on the 27th day of the rally. The rally is being organized with a focus on the youth of the country to get them connected with the brave stories of our freedom fighters and with the sacrifices made by unsung heroes of India’s freedom movement.
A team of 12 CISF cyclists will participate in the rally, which would be led by an Assistant Sub Inspector. Senior officials from CISF and other dignitaries will flag off the cycle rally. The rally will then move to Agha Khan Palace, where Mahatma Gandhi was kept in confinement during freedom struggle. This is the place where Gandhiji lived for 21 months after he gave the call for Quit India on 8th August, 1942. During this period, the Mahatma lost his wife Kasturba and his secretary Narayan Desai. The Samadhis of both of them are located in this grand palace of Pune, built by celebrated architect Charles Correa.
There will be two separate functions in Yerwada jail and Agha Khan Palace. The rally will reach Agha Khan Palace at 10 A.M. before heading to the next destination, Rajgurunagar. The cycle rally will pass through Rajgurunagar, Santwadi, Sangamner, Indian Security Press in Nashik, Chandvad, Arvi town and Shirpur Fata in Maharashtra.
On the 15th day, the cycle rally will reach Bhopal. The team of cyclists led by Sub Inspector Dhiraj Kumar Janice will cross over to Agra in Uttar Pradesh from Dholpur in Madhya Pradesh on the 24th day.
Some of the historically significant places being covered by the rally are Rajgurunagar (birthplace of freedom fighter Rajguru), Bhavra in Madhya Pradesh (birthplace of Chandrashekhar Azad) and Shivpuri (death place of Tatya Tope), also in Madhya Pradesh.
The event will be organized while strictly following COVID protocols.
CISF is an armed force of the Union of India, which protects the vital installations of national monuments.