Congress plans to prepone ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’

The Congress on Thursday said that its ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, slated to begin on October 2, could start earlier and appealed to like-minded political parties and civil society groups to join the party’s march. This was announced at a press conference by party general secretary Jairam Ramesh and senior leader Digvijaya Singh after a meeting of the presidents of the Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) and frontal organizations here with AICC office-bearers to plan the Yatra that will be carried out from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.

“It had been announced in the ‘Nav Sankalp’ at the Udaipur Chintan Shivir that the Bharat Jodo Yatra will begin on October 2, 2022. However, given the repeated and intensifying attacks on our democracy, our country’s Constitution, the nation’s institutions and the social fabric of our society by the Modi government and the BJP, the Congress party is now exploring the possibility of starting the Bharat Jodo Yatra earlier,” said Singh.

If so, an earlier launch date will be announced as soon as the PCCs revert on their preparedness, he said.

The ‘Bharat Jodo (Unite India) Yatra’ will cover a distance of around 3,500 km and go through about 12 states and two Union territories, the party said in a statement, noting that it will be a ‘padayatra’ throughout.

“The entire leadership and cadre of the Congress will participate in the Yatra. Many other yatras will join the main padayatra from across the length and breadth of the country. The specific details of the Yatra’s route will be announced shortly,” Singh said.

Today, as the politics of hate is being practiced by those who never took part in our country’s freedom movement, and whose ideologies resulted in the assassination of the Father of the Nation, the Bharat Jodo Yatra is being launched as a nationwide movement to unite the country, the party said.

The Congress also appealed to like-minded political parties, civil society groups, business and professional associations, and all Indians to unite and join the Yatra.

After 75 years of Independence, the Congress pays rich tributes to all those who fought for India’s freedom, those who defeated the politics of divide and rule, those who came together to give the country its great Constitution, and those who put India on the path of progress, prosperity, social justice and harmony, the statement said.

Ramesh said that from August 9 to 15, the party will hold 75km long yatras in every district to celebrate 75th Independence Day.