This Valentine’s Day, the literati will openly declare their love for the Gujarati language. On Saturday, they will take out a ‘Save Gujarati Rally’ under the aegis of Gujarati Bhasha Parishad, which will be supported by 14 other organisations.

The aim of the rally is to sensitise people towards the need to safeguard the Gujarati language from the “onslaught of English”, said Indukumar Jani, editor of Gujarati fortnightly Naya Marg. He made it clear at a press briefing on Thursday that nobody seeking protection for Gujarati is against English or any other language but for strengthening Gujarati.

Jurist Mahesh Dave said China has progressed despite sticking to Chinese as medium of instruction, as “comprehension and expression of thought is most effective in one’s mother tongue only”.

Manishi Jani of Pragatisheel Lekhak Sangh said the rally will be taken out from Gujarat Vidyapith at 10 am and it would culminate into a meeting after reaching Gujarati Sahitya Parishad premises on Ashram Road. Noted lawyer Girish Patel and writer Raghuvir Chaudhry among others will address the meeting, he said.