Ahmedabad: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) second phase of Gujarat 'Gaurav Yatra' would be flagged off by Union Minister for Social Welfare Satnarain Jatiya on September 14 from Ahmedabad district's Jhajharka, a place revered by Dalits in the state.

Jhajharka has been chosen for the launch of the second phase of the yatra as Sant Saviayana, a crusader against caste system in pre-Independent India, hailed from there, party sources said.

The 'Gaurav Yatra', which was thrice postponed before finally being launched from Kheda district's Phagvel village on September 8 has so far covered 350 km. Phagvel is a pilgrimage centre for Kshatriyas as Bhatiji Maharaj, a community leader, gave up his life to protect cows going to slaughter about 200 years ago.

The second phase of the yatra, to be led by Chief Minister Narendra Modi and BJP's state unit chief Rajendrasinh Rana, would be flagged off by Jhajharka in Ahmedabad district's Dhandhuka taluka, and cover 607 km in three-days, the sources said.

The yatra, in its first leg had passed through Phagvel, Kapadvanj, Dehgam, Bayad, Talod, Prantij, Himatnagar, Vijapur, Mansa, Kadi, Detroj, Kalol, Becharaj, Modhera and Chanasma.

The BJP had earlier planned to take the yatra on two days in a week but now it has added one more day to the itinerary to include Mondays besides Saturdays and Sundays. It would travel 5,000 km and pass through all the 182 Assembly constituencies before ending next month.

PTI