Gujarat Police on Tuesday morning detained peace activists at Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad before they could begin the 200 km march to Sui village in Banaskantha district on Indo-Pakistan border. Local police said they were executing orders of Special Branch.

Led by Magsaysay Award winner and social activist Sandeep Pandey, the activists are seeking permanent bilateral ceasefire on the border with Pakistan, denuclearisation of Indian sub-continent, increased contact between people of both the countries and the opening of the land routes Gujarat and Sindh. While activists from India will gather at Nada Bet on Indian side of the border in Banaskantha district of Gujarat, activists led by Karamat Ali will gather in Karachi on June 30.

The peace march was to begin from Gandhi Ashram, a symbol of India's peaceful struggle for independence from the British Raj. When the activists gathered at Gandhi Ashram on Tuesday morning, they were told by local police that the Special Branch has denied them the permission and they are here just to follow the orders from the higher-ups.

Jignesh Mevani, independent MLA from Gujarat, who came to Gandhi Ashram to support the activists, said that denial of police permission is an order of the day in Gujarat. "Whether it is protesting by farmers or the oppressed segments of the society, they are not allowed to protest," said Mevani. Naushad Solanki, Congress MLA from Dasada, who also was present at Gandhi Ashram to express solidarity, said that state government denied the permission for the peace and goodwill march speaks volumes of what it intends to do. "In fact, the government should encourage peace initiatives," said Solanki.

Prominent personalities who were present at Gandhi Ashram to express their solidarity, include classical dancer and social activist Mallika Sarabhai, former professor of IIM-A Anil Gupta, industrialist and chairman of Wagh Bakri Group, Piyush Desai, labour union leaders Asim Roy and Jayanti Panchal, to name a few.

‘No nod to peace march serious’

Magsaysay Award winner and social activist Sandeep Pandey said that it is a serious matter that even a peace march that aims to create goodwill between both the countries is not given permission. “Since we have the permission for the subsequent leg of the yatra, we will continue the yatra after we are released. Now yatra’s route will pass through Ranip Police station (whose staff detained the activists),” said Pandey.