Embarking on January 14, the Congress party is poised to initiate the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Thoubal, Manipur—an inception to a political odyssey spanning 6,713 km, enmeshing 100 Lok Sabha segments across 15 states. Rahul Gandhi, spearheading this journey, is slated to grace Imphal at 11 am and commence the expedition from the Khongjom War Memorial, a site resonating with historical import, as relayed by the party.
In line with the insights shared by news agency ANI, Jairam Ramesh, Congress’s General Secretary (Communications), expounded upon the yatra’s broader purpose, articulating, “This is not just a typical yatra (Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra) orchestrated by a political entity… Our yatra is orchestrated for political objectives, with a fundamental mission to safeguard the Constitution… It embodies an ideological pilgrimage rather than an electoral one.”
He accentuated the distinction, underscoring the nature of this being a political yatra rather than an electoral one.
The yatra seeks to spotlight issues such as unemployment, soaring prices, and the pursuit of social justice. The Congress contends that the endeavor endeavors to reaffirm the principles of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity embedded in the Constitution, asserting that the government has purportedly neglected these concerns within the parliamentary arena.
“PM Modi is painting a picture of golden prosperity, but the harsh reality is that ‘the last decade has been a period marred by injustice.’ In light of the social, economic, and political inequities endured over the past decade, this ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ is underway,” expressed Jairam Ramesh.
In the context of Manipur, a state grappling with ethnic unrest since May of the preceding year, the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra assumes heightened significance. The yatra is slated to dedicate a day to Manipur before proceeding to traverse Nagaland, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
A detailed route map has been disseminated for the day-long procession through the strife-ridden terrain of Manipur.
The trajectory of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will traverse through 110 districts, encompassing 100 Lok Sabha seats and 337 assembly segments over a span of 67 days, culminating in Mumbai on either March 20 or 21. The Congress characterizes this yatra as a protest against perceived injustices of the past decade, accompanying it with a Nyay anthem bearing the tagline “Saho Mat, Daro Mat” (endure not, fear not).
The timing of this march holds paramount significance for the Congress, endeavoring to rejuvenate its political standing following a lackluster performance in recent assembly elections. The party’s objective is to divert attention from emotive topics, like the impending consecration ceremony of the Ram temple, and refocus on everyday concerns.
As reported by news agency PTI, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, along with other prominent leaders, is anticipated to be present in Thoubal to kickstart the yatra. The party has extended invitations to leaders affiliated with the Indian National Inclusive Developmental Alliance (I.N.D.I.A.) bloc, encouraging their participation at any juncture along the yatra’s route.
In a notable development, Kharge communicated through X, affirming that the party has once again extended invitations to I.N.D.I.A. bloc leaders for the Congress footmarch, stating, “There is a collective sense of satisfaction as seat-sharing discussions progress positively. Rahul Gandhi and I have extended invitations to all INDIA Parties to join the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.'”
