Rahul gandi starting7 sep7 amstart bharat jodo yatra.
Congress party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, under the leadership of Shri Rahul Gandhi, starting from Kanyakumari on September 7 at 7 am, will cover 3500kms in 150 days, covering 12 States and 2 Union Territories, before concluding in Jammu and Kashmir
NEW DELHI, September 5, 2022—All India Congress Committee national spokesperson and ex-MP Shri Sanjay Nirupam said that the “Bharat Jodo Yatra”, led by Shri Rahul Gandhi, will start from Kanyakumari on September 7 (Wednesday), 2022 at 7 am and will cover 3500kms through 12 States and 2 Union Territories across the country in 150 days before concluding in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a press conference at the DPCC office, Rajiv Bhawan here today, along with DPCC president Ch. Anil Kumar, Shri Sanjay Nirupam said that the ‘Mehangai Par Halla Bol Rally’ against price rise and unemployment, held at the Ramlila ground in Delhi on September 4, had set the agenda for the Bharat Jodo Yatra as people were fed up with unprecedented price rise, unemployment and the poor getting poorer and the rich getting richer in the last 8 years. He said that Shri Rahul Gandhi had appealed to the Modi Government at the Ramilila ground rally that it should put a leash on price rise. He said that from 2004 to 2014, when the Congress-led UPA Government was in power at the Centre, 26 crore people had been brought above the poverty line while in the last 8 years, 23 crore people were shoved below the poverty line by the Modi Government, which explains the plight of the common people under an autocratic regime. Others present at the Press Conference were Chairman of the DPCC Communications Department and ex-MLA Shri Anil Bhardwaj, former Delhi Minister Dr Narendra Nath, ex-MLA Shri Hari Shankar Gupta, DPCC vice-presidents Shri Mudit Aggarwal, Shri Ali Mehndi, Vice-chairman of the DPCC Communications Department Shri Parvez Alam, spokesperson Dr Naresh Kumar and Vikram Lohia.
Shri Sanjay Nirupam said that the Mehangai Par Halla Bol Rally in Delhi highlighted the Modi Government’s complete failure to rein in price rise and the demand that PM Narendra Modi take immediate action to protect citizens’ welfare. He said that with the Bharat Jodo Yatra starting on September 7, we are taking the next step to begin a direct dialogue with the people of India on the serious issues confronting the country.
Shri Sanjay Nirupam said that in 2014, PM Modi offered a dream of prosperity to all Indians. Instead, he has delivered a nightmare of price rise, unemployment, social tension and compromised institutions over the past eight years. He said that the economy was in tatters, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Common people are badly hurt by relentless price rise and record unemployment. Farmers and farm labourers are buried under debt, and the assets of our country built up over the past 70 years are being handed over to Modiji’s billionaire crony-capitalist friends.
Shri Sanjay Nirupam said that society is being divided on the basis of caste, religion, region, language, food, dress etc, and every day, a new conspiracy is hatched to make Indians fight one another. Women feel insecure, and the divisions being created can only weaken our unity and help our enemies who have become bolder in recent years. Just recently we learned that China has taken control of not 1,000 sq km but 2,000 sq km of our land in Ladakh, while the Modi Government continues to divide our society, serving our enemies’ cause.
Shri Nirupam said that voice of the people is being suppressed and our Constitutional rights are being crushed. He said that institutions like Parliament and the media are no longer available to discuss the issues that we face in our lives. Instead, systematic efforts are being made to subvert our Constitution, dismantle our institutions and hollow out our democracy. State governments elected by the people are being destabilized by money power and the misuse of investigative agencies. Dalits, Adivasis and backward classes are being deprived of their basic rights—jal, jangal and zameen.
Shri Nirupam said that the Indian National Congress will connect with social activists, intellectuals, other political parties and lakhs of ordinary people to begin a conversation on how to tackle these grievous challenges. We have to speak so loudly that this deaf government can hear our voices.
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DPCC president Ch. Anil Kumar said that the Delhi leg of the Yatra will cover 45kms over two days, and Congress workers were making fool-proof arrangements for the smooth passage of the Yatra. He said that the Congress workers were determined to overcome the present difficulties with unity and by holding the hands of the marginalized and the ordinary people, whose lives have become miserable due to the anti-people decisions of the Modi Government.
Ch. Anil Kumar said that there were four main purposes behind the Bharat Jodo Yatra: Creating unity among all like-minded Indians who stand by for the values of our freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, as reflected in the Constitution; Raising the voice of crores of Indians against economic inequality, social division and erosion of our rights; Discussing ideas and solutions which people have to solve these challenges; and Strengthening social harmony along the principles of “Unity in Diversity” and “Sarva Dharma Sama Bhave”.
Bharat Jodo Yatra - key points
Why is the Bharat Jodo Yatra necessary?
● You will find the answer to this question if you look around the country today.
● The Yatra is being launched to unite all Indians against three growing problems - economic inequality, social divisiveness and the erosion of our Constitutional rights.
● Economically, the rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer.
○ Common people are badly hurt by relentless price rise and record unemployment.
○ Kisans and Khet mazdoors are being buried under a burden of debt.
○ The assets of our country, built over 70 years, are being sold cheaply to crony capitalists
● Socially, today we are being divided on the basis of caste, religion, region, language, food, dress.
○ Every day a new conspiracy is hatched to make one Indian fight another.
○ People are scared. There is a growing sense of insecurity, especially among women.
● Politically, today the voices of people are being suppressed and our Constitutional rights are being crushed.
○ Systematic efforts are being made to subvert our Constitution, dismantle our institutions and hollow out our democracy.
○ State governments elected by the people are being destabilised by money power and the misuse of investigative agencies.
○ The voice of the states is being suppressed; they are not getting the tax money owed to them by the Union government on time.
○ Dalits, Adivasis, backward classes are being deprived of their basic rights—jal, jangal and zameen.
● We can tackle these challenges only through unity - by coming together, holding hands and pledging unity.
Objectives expected from the Yatra
There are four key objectives of the Yatra:
Creating unity amongst all like-minded Indians who stand for the values of our freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, as reflected in the Constitution.
Raising the voices of crores of Indians against economic inequality, social division and erosion of our rights.
Discussing ideas and solutions which people have to solve these challenges.
Strengthening social harmony along the principles of ‘Unity in Diversity’ and ‘Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava’.
Brief details of the Yatra route
● Starts on 7th September from Kanyakumari, and goes on till Jammu and Kashmir
● Covers 12 states and 2 union territories: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.
● The route of over 3,500 km will take about 150 days to cover.
Preparations done so far
● Yatris: 118 Bharat Yatris have been selected from all across the country who will walk from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. In addition, Pradesh Congress Committees are shortlisting 100 Pradesh Yatris from the states through which the Yatra passes, and AtithiYatris from all other states.
● Schedule: A detailed schedule for the Yatra is being worked out. We will endeavour to regularly update the route and public events of the Yatra on our website www.bharatjodoyatra.in at least three days in advance.
● Logistics: Preparations for food and stay of the Yatris are nearly complete. While core yatris will stay in containers, Pradesh yatris will stay in arrangements made by PCCs.
● Bharat Jodo Yatra at state level: Everystate through which the Yatra does not pass is organizing a door-to-door campaign to reach every to communicate the message of the Yatra.
Details of participation
People from all states, communities, religions, occupations will participate in the Yatra, making it a showcase of the unity and diversity of our country.
● At any point of time, there will be 300 core yatris. In the morning stretch, there will be no mass mobilisation from the party. In the second half, thousands of others will walk with the Yatra.
● All are welcome to participate in the Yatra. Please register on our website www.bharatjodoyatra.in - nearly 40,000 people have already done so.
● We are working out a detailed programme by which people who are interested can participate either by walking with the main Bharat Jodo Yatra, by joining the state-level Bharat Jodo Yatra, or by participating online.
Programmes on the 7th and 8th
In Tamil Nadu, the programme is as below:
● In the morning at 7 am, in Sriperumbudur, Shri Rahul Gandhi will pay homage to our respected leader and former PM Shri Rajiv Gandhi.
● Between 3 pm and 4 pm, Shri Rahul Gandhi will pay respects at the Thiruvalluvar Memorial, the Vivekananda memorial and the Kamaraj Memorial.
● A prayer meeting will be organized at Mahatma Gandhi Mandapam at 4pm, followed by a National Flag handover ceremony.
● Shri Rahul Gandhi and the Bharat Jodo Yatris will then march from the Mahatma Gandhi Mandapam to Beach Road.
● From 5 pm to 6.30 pm there will be a public meeting at Beach Road to formally launch the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
● The Padayatra will commence the next day (8th September) at 7 am from the Vivekananda Institute of polytechnic ground, Agastheeswaram, Kanyakumari.
We expect the participation of Congress leaders from Tamil Nadu and all across the country, as well as some other political parties and civil society organizations.
In all other states:
● Events to simultaneously launch the Bharat Jodo Yatra will be held at 5 pm on 7th September at state capitals, district and block HQs.
● On the 8th, padayatras will be taken out from state capitals and other major cities to mark the beginning of the Padayatra.
Tentative daily schedule
Every day, the Yatra is likely to follow the below schedule:
● Morning stretch: Start walking at 7 am, covering 15 km
● Break for lunch and rest until 4 pm. Possible interactions with visitors during this time
● Walk a 10 km stretch in the evening, ending by 7.30 pm
● There will be events in Yatra choupal at the end of the day – optional to attend for Yatris.
● Dinner and rest in camp
● Periodic events – e.g. tree planting, cultural events, visits to key places on the way
