Taking out Yatra as govt didn't give us chance to raise issues in Parliament: Kharge
New Delhi: As Rahul Gandhi is all set to embark on another long march -- the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur to Maharashtra on January 14 -- the Congress on Saturday claimed that they are taking out the yatra as the BJP-led Union government did not give them a chance to raise important issues in Parliament.
The yatra led by Mr Gandhi will focus on the “basic social, political and economic issues of the country," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told a press conference in the national capital.
The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will be taken out close on the heels of the Congress’ disastrous performance in the Hindi heartland in the recently concluded Assembly polls. The first phase of the Bharat Jodo Yatra held before the Assembly polls in the five states failed to make any significant impact on the Congress' poll outcome. The party faced drubbings in both Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh; both states were extensively covered by the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
The Congress had earlier said that the east-to-west Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will prove to be as impactful and transformative as the earlier south-to-north Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.
Taking to social media X, Mr Gandhi said, “We are coming back among our own people, against injustice and ego -- by raising the slogan of justice."
“I swear on this path of truth, the journey will continue until I get the right to justice,” Mr Gandhi added, sharing a video featuring the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by him earlier.
The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra got its name by tweaking the original name by adding "nyay" (justice) to the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The yatra 2.0 being organised ahead of the 2024 general election will cover 110 districts, 100 Lok Sabha seats and 337 Assembly segments in 66 days, starting from Manipur capital Imphal.
Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Kharge said unfortunate incidents have taken place in Manipur and the Prime Minister, who speaks everywhere and does photo sessions, has not visited the state. He also attacked the BJP government at the Centre, alleging that it is blatantly misusing agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate and the income-tax department to threaten the Opposition leaders.
Though the Congress leadership is upbeat about the current phase of the yatra, the previous Bharat Jodo Yatra could not bring positive results for the party in the Hindi heartland. The Yatra spent the maximum number of days in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, but the party lost in both of these states in the recently concluded elections. The party is hoping for a reversal of fortunes in the 66-day yatra, starting later this month.
