The Congress party's slogan 'Mohabbat ki Dukaan' from its previous Bharat Jodo Yatra has made a comeback with the artwork for a bus in which Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will travel during his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in Manipur. The yatra has begun today (January 14) from Thoubal district and will cover over 6,700 kilometres across 110 districts in about 67 days.
Rahul Gandhi decided to embark on the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from the violence-hit Manipur. Calling it an ideological yatra instead of an electoral one, Congress has called it a way of putting the spotlight on issues such as employment, social justice, and price rises. According to the grand old party, the yatra is being carried out against the 'anyay kaal' (period of injustice) of 10 years against the Narendra Modi-led government, added PTI.
The General Secretary of Congress, while addressing the press on the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, said, "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?" "The Yatra will raise the issue of justice for Manipur," he asserted.
Ramesh also said, "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."
The yatra was announced to begin in Imphal as it was Congress's initial choice. However, it has been flagged off from a private ground in Manipur's Thoubal district.
This decision was taken by the party since the Manipur government had given conditional approval, which restricted the number of participants at the previous venue at Palace Grounds in Imphal.
The Thoubal district administration has also imposed a restriction under which the number of participants should not exceed 3,000 and the duration should be less than an hour, reported PTI.
As per Congress, the party had no other alternative to raise people's issues as the government did not give them a chance to do so in Parliament.
The Congress also expressed its hope that the yatra will be as impactful as Rahul Gandhi's cross-country march and will achieve its aim of re-establishing the constitutional values of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity, according to PTI's report.
Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will traverse 6713 kilometres, pass through 15 states and 100 Lok Sabha constituencies, and end after 67 days in Mumbai on March 20 or 21.