Congress’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra against 10 yrs of BJP’s injustice, political autocracy: Jairam

Neeraj Mohan

Imphal, January 13

The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, set to kick off on January 14 from the Khongjom War Memorial in Thoubal district of Manipur, represents an ideological stand against the 10-year ‘anyay kaal’ (reign of injustice) and political autocracy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Congress leader Jairam Ramesh today.

67-day march

• The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will be inaugurated from Thoubal district, deviating from the initial plan to commence from Imphal’s Palace Grounds
• Rahul Gandhi, along with party leaders, will cover the extensive journey, mostly by bus and some on foot, traversing 110 districts, 100 Lok Sabha seats and 337 Assembly segments in 67 days
• The yatra is scheduled to culminate in Mumbai on March 20 or 21, with the first day likely to cover a distance of 8-10 km

In a press interaction, Ramesh highlighted that the 6,713-km yatra was necessitated against the current challenges faced by the country, asserting that the foundational principles of the Constitution, including justice, liberty, equality and fraternity, were under threat in the current regime. He said while the past decade could be characterised as a period of injustice (‘anyay kaal’), the government had been misleading the public with a distorted portrayal of a golden era (‘amrit kaal’). Ramesh acknowledged the absence of a quick fix but expressed confidence in the Congress’ ability to triumph over social injustice and polarisation.

Responding to queries about the yatra’s political objectives, Ramesh said despite being a political party’s endeavour with a political agenda aimed at delivering justice to the people, the yatra was not driven by electoral ambitions.

Accompanied by Congress leaders from North-Eastern states, including former Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, state party chief Keisham Meghachandra Singh, and Congress Working Committee member Gaikhangam, Ramesh accused the ruling BJP of neglecting serious ethnic violence in Manipur. He criticised the Prime Minister for remaining silent on the issue despite eight months of ongoing violence and not engaging with local leaders. Local leaders accused the BJP-supported Manipur Government of withholding permission for the yatra’s launch from the Palace Ground, alleging a politically motivated stance.

Addressing security concerns, Ramesh assured that a dedicated team would review arrangements for Rahul and other party leaders, emphasising that most of the yatra would be covered by bus this time. This is the second leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra under which Rahul, along with 2,500 participants, walked 4,000 km last year from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.