Article 370 revocation: Now yatras are from Jammu to Kanyakumari, says Cong leader

KRISHNAGIRI: Aiming to spread the Congress party's message of 'unity in diversity', 34-year-old Santhosh Kumar Kolukonda of Telangana state has embarked on a cycle journey from Kashmir to Kanniyakumari.

Santhosh, a lawyer and the national secretary of the Indian youth congress began his journey on August 15. His original plan to start from Kashmir was changed to Jammu because of the authorities not allowing 'outsiders' to enter Kashmir following revocation of Article 370 and related developments.

His mission is not only to spread the message of 'unity in diversity' and also to promote sports, education, health and environment. He also appealed to the people to support his 'crowd-funding' of Rs. ten lakh to be given for NGOs working in these fields.

The Congress leader on Monday reached Hosur via Attibelle in the neighboring Karnataka. So far, he has covered a distance of 3,265-km from the starting point till Hosur in Krishnagiri district.

Speaking to reporters here, Santhosh said, "my cycle yatra was for unity in diversity by highlighting the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda Chicago speech on September 11, 1893, and 150th birth anniversary year of Mahatma Gandhi due from October 2, because both wished us to live in communal harmony and peace" He added, "I planned to start my yatra from Srinagar in Kashmir. Later changed the place to Jammu because of authorities not allowing outsiders to enter Srinagar due to restrictions imposed in the wake of article 370's revocation."

The advocate also promotes 'crowd funding' and the money got through this initiative will be donated for organisations like the society to promote hockey in Delhi government schools, Burn Survivor Trust-Hyderabad, Anand Shiksha run by Babar Ali who was considered as the world's youngest headmaster and Yagna Foundatation, which works for orphaned children in Vikarabad.