Congress: Rahul Gandhi Commences Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra From Thoubal After Promising To Bring Back Peace In Manipur

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge critiques PM Modi for not visiting Manipur during the crisis, saying, ‘PM Narendra Modi comes here (Manipur) to seek votes, but has not come when people in Manipur are in pain’.

Rahul Gandhi commenced the 67-day journey of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur’s Thoubal district on Sunday which will end in Mumbai on March 20. Gandhi hops onto the bus which will be present in the Yatra for the next couple of months.

The Congress party members in Manipur gave a warm welcome to Rahul Gandhi on Sunday as he arrived in Imphal to begin the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra for the next 67 days across the country. Gandhi promised the people of Manipur to bring back peace and harmony with the assurance that his party understood the loss and grief of the violence-torn state.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that Rahul Gandhi has come to Manipur to share the pain of the people of Manipur and to talk about their problems.

Rahul Gandhi visited the Khongjom war memorial ahead of the launch event in Thoubal on Sunday after arriving in Imphal. Gandhi paid his tributes to the world’s tallest sword statue which symbolizes the honour and courage of the freedom fighters from Manipur in their struggle against the British in 1891.

Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress president handed over the national flag to Rahul Gandhi as it will be carried throughout the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Imphal to Mumbai.

Rahul Gandhi delivers speech at Khongjom

Rahul Gandhi began his speech by condemning PM Modi’s governance and steps taken for Manipur, he said, “Governance infrastructure has failed in Manipur, shameful that PM hasn’t visited the state.”

He also claimed that Manipur lost what it held precious due to the BJP rule.

 “I came to Manipur on June 29 (last year) and during that visit, what I saw, what I heard, I had never seen or heard of before. I have been in politics since 2004, for the first time I went to a state in India, where the entire governance infrastructure had collapsed. What we used to call Manipur, after June 29, it was no longer Manipur,” Gandhi said.

Gandhi addressing the people of Manipur in Thoubal, he stated, “We are here to listen to you and share your pain, present new vision of India which is of harmony, equity.”

He expressed, “We understand the pain that the people of Manipur have been through, we understand the hurt, the sadness. We will bring back harmony, peace and affection for which this state was known.”

“Lakhs of people faced losses, but the prime minister has not come here to wipe your tears, hold your hand or embrace you. Maybe for Narendra Modi, the BJP and the RSS, Manipur is not a part of India. Your pain is not their pain,” Gandhi added.

The violence that broke out in the northeastern state in May last year has claimed more than 180 lives and rendered thousands homeless.  

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge addresses audience

Senior Congress leaders are addressing the public on the stage at Khongjom ground where the Yatra is supposed to begin.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge critiqued PM Modi for not visiting Manipur during the crisis, saying, ‘PM Narendra Modi comes here (Manipur) to seek votes, but has not come when people in Manipur are in pain’. Further, Kharge said, “PM Modi keeps chanting ‘Ram, Ram’, but he shouldn’t do it to seek votes.”

Comparing the two political parties, Kharge asserted, “BJP mixes religion with politics, incites people; we fight for secularism, equality, social justice.”

He claimed that Rahul Gandhi has come to Manipur to share the pain of the people of Manipur and to talk about their problems.

Kharge further stated that the aim of the Yatra remains – employment for people, it is against price rise and for farmer’s rights and also to save the Constitution, democracy and stop fascist forces.

Danish Ali to join Congress’ Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra

Recently suspended Bahujan Samaj Party leader and MP Danish Ali has announced that he will be joining Gandhi in the Yatra. In a series of social media posts on X platform, Danish Ali spoke about his reasons to join the Yatra, he wrote “Today, I have decided to join Shri Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. This is a very important moment for me. I have arrived here after much soul searching. In the atmosphere prevailing in the country, I had two options.”

Adding to that, he expressed, “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.”

Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Manipur

Congress Veteran Jairam Ramesh shared visuals from the northeast state where the Khangjom ground is at full capacity and ready for the Yatra to begin.

Taking a jibe at the BJP he said, “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.”

 Details about the Yatra

It has been reported that the east-to-west Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will traverse across 100 Lok Sabha segments in 15 states and the party believes it will prove to be as “transformative” as Gandhi’s earlier cross-country march.

According to PTI the yatra will cover a distance of 6,713 km, straddling 100 Lok Sabha constituencies and 337 assembly segments and covering 110 districts. It will conclude in Mumbai on March 20 after 67 days.

BJP reacted to the Yatra

The BJP called the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra as “Bharat Todo Yatra” on Sunday as they pointed at young leaders of the party leaving to join the ruling party especially the coincidence of Milind Deora joining Eknath Shinde camp of Shiv Sena on Sunday.

According to PTI, Union minister Anurag Thakur described the yatra as a hoax and said senior Congress leaders were not getting justice and were joining other outfits.

Meanwhile, Wondering if the yatra was meant to unite India or divide it, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said in a post on X, “Rahul Gandhi is going to the Northeast but has he apologised for supporting those gangs who openly want to cut the Northeast from the rest of the Country?”

 BJP national general secretary Dushyant Gautam alleged that the Congress has started the east-to-west Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra months after its south-to-north Bharat Jodo Yatra to maintain “dynasticism” in the party and promote Gandhi.

Courtesy : Outlook India

Note: This news piece was originally published in outlookindia.com and used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Right