Rahul Gandhi leads Congress’ Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur

The yatra will start from violence-hit Manipur as the party looks to set the narrative in the Lok Sabha polls by spotlighting issues such as unemployment, price rise and social justice.

The Congress has said that the yatra is ideological and not an electoral one, and it was being taken out against the “anyay kaal” (period of injustice) of 10 years of the Narendra Modi government.

The inauguration of the event was slightly delayed due to the delay in the flight of the Congress leaders including Gandhi due to foggy conditions.

आज कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्री @kharge ने श्री @RahulGandhi को राष्ट्रीय ध्वज देकर 'भारत जोड़ो न्याय यात्रा' का शुभारंभ किया।

मणिपुर से मुंबई तक 6700 किलोमीटर की यात्रा में यह ध्वज राहुल जी के साथ रहेगा।#BharatJodoNyayYatra pic.twitter.com/EZm1i1rzde

— Congress (@INCIndia) January 14, 2024

Also Read: Revanth Reddy to join Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Manipur

‘Against Anyay Kaal’

Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that even though the ruling BJP tried to create roadblocks to the event the stadium where the inaugural event is scheduled was at full capacity.

“The BJP tried every dirty trick to stall the launch of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur, including denying permission to hold the opening rally at the Palace grounds in Imphal. Yet much before the start of the rally, the Nyay Maidan in Khongjom is at full capacity!” Jairam Ramesh wrote in a post on X.

He also said the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Khongjom in Manipur to Mumbai in Maharashtra starts Sunday “to raise our voice for economic justice, social justice and political justice, to raise our voice against the ANYAY KAAL of the last 10 years.”

“The Prime Minister has refused to speak a word or visit Manipur for more than 8 months since violence erupted here. Does the Prime Minister not consider Manipur to be a part of India? Does the Prime Minister not respect the contribution of Manipuris to India?” he said.

The Yatra will raise the issue of justice for Manipur, he asserted.

“It is only appropriate that @RahulGandhi will be starting the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra with a floral tribute at the Khongjom War memorial symbolising the sacrifice of the Manipuris in the 1891 Anglo-Manipuri War,” Ramesh said.

The 6700+ km Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Khongjom in Manipur to Mumbai in Maharashtra starts today — to raise our voice for economic justice, social justice and political justice, to raise our voice against the ANYAY KAAL of the last 10 years.

The Prime Minister has refused to…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) January 14, 2024

Danish Ali to attend

Lok Sabha MP Danish Ali, who remains suspended by the BSP, on Sunday announced his decision to join Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, saying he would be failing in his duty as a politician if he did not join the “biggest drive for unity and justice”.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) had suspended Ali last month for “anti-party” activities.

Ali had been actively joining opposition ranks in attacking the BJP and its policies even though the Mayawati-led BSP has maintained a distance from the ruling alliance as well as the opposition bloc INDIA.

In a post on X, Ali announced after landing in Imphal that he had decided to join the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

“This is a very important moment for me. I have arrived here after much soul-searching. I had two options either to accept the status quo and ignore the exploitation of Dalits, backwards, tribals, minorities and other marginalised and poor sections, or to launch an all-out campaign against this atmosphere of fear, hate, exploitation and the deepening divide in the country,” he said.

“My conscience pushed me to take the second option. Taking this decision came naturally to me as I was myself at the receiving end of a similar attack in Parliament, where swear words were used by a member of the ruling party against me and my religion,” the BSP leader said.

BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri had used derogatory words for Ali in Parliament which had led to a massive outrage and the matter was sent to the privilege committee before which the BJP MP apologised.

Also Read: Govt didn’t give us chance to raise issues in Parliament, says Kharge

To begin in the Thoubal district

The yatra will be flagged off from a private ground in Thoubal district, instead of Imphal, the party’s initial choice.

The state government had given the Congress conditional approval to flag off the yatra from the Palace Grounds in the state capital, restricting the number of participants. Therefore, the Congress decided to opt for another venue.

The Thoubal district administration has also imposed some restrictions such as the duration should not exceed an hour and the number of participants should not exceed 3,000.

The yatra will pass through 100 Lok Sabha constituencies in 15 states and the party believes it will prove to be as “transformative” as Rahul Gandhi’s earlier cross-country march.

The Congress has said it is taking out the yatra as the government did not give it a chance to raise people’s issues in Parliament and the initiative is aimed at re-establishing the principles of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity enshrined in the Constitution.

The Yatra will traverse 6,713 km, mostly in buses but also on foot. It will cover 110 districts in 67 days, before culminating in Mumbai on 20 or 21 March.

Though the Congress has repeatedly stressed that this is not an electoral yatra, it comes at a crucial juncture as the party seeks to revive its fortunes after a poor showing in the last round of assembly elections.

With the BJP focusing on the 22 January Ram temple consecration ceremony, the Congress wants to put the spotlight on bread-and-butter issues through this yatra.

(With PTI inputs)