Imphal, Jan 13 (IANS) A day before the launching of the 66-day long Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur, the Congress on Saturday released the theme song and several videos of the Yatra besides other details.
The party said that the Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi, is being taken out keeping in mind “political, economic and social injustices committed in the last 10 years”.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said the biggest challenge India now faces is “the immoral ideology which promotes polarisation, economic inequalities and political authoritarianism”. Talking of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s golden dreams of ‘Amrit Kaal’, he said ‘Anyay Kaal’ has been prevailing in the country for the last 10 years.
Ramesh said this while he was interacting with the mediapersons. He was accompanied by former Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, state party chief Keisham Meghachandra Singh and Congress Working Committee member Gaikhangam.
The Rajya Sabha member said that the yatra, which would cover 15 states from Manipur to Maharashtra, is an ideological move and not an electoral one.
The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra would pass through 100 Lok Sabha constituencies, 6,713 km through 110 districts in 66 days and the Congress believes it would prove to be as “transformative” as Rahul Gandhi’s earlier cross-country march — Bharat Jodo Yatra in September 2022 to January 30, 2023.
The Congress leaders, criticising the BJP-led Central government, said that the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ undertaken as the government did not allow the Opposition to raise people’s issues in the Parliament and the Yatra is aimed at re-establishing the principles of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity enshrined in the Constitution.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge would flag off the Yatra on Sunday from Thoubal district’s Khongjom War Memorial.
Congress’ Manipur unit President Keisham Meghachandra Singh said that permission was sought on January 2 to start the yatra from the Hapta Kangjeibung palace compound ground in the state Capital but the Manipur government gave consent with certain conditions, forcing the party to move the venue to Thoubal district. He said that several leaders of the party, including Chief Ministers and MPs from across the country will gather in Manipur for a peaceful rally.
AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal (Organisation) earlier said that from Manipur, the yatra will go to Nagaland, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya and will culminate in Mumbai on March 20 after covering 6,713 km through 15 states in 66 days. Venugopal had said that the yatra would demand justice for the women, youth, farmers and poor and it would be historic as well.
