After weeks of amping it up, the Congress party on Wednesday, September 7, launched the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. The 3,570 km-long rally, expected to last 150 days with 120 participants, was kicked off by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK leader MK Stalin. At the Mahatma Gandhi Mandapam in Kanyakumari, CM Stalin handed over a khadi Indian flag to Rahul Gandhi, who is heading the rally. At the launch event, Rahul Gandhi also visited the twin memorials of Thiruvalluvar and Swami Vivekananda, along with Kamaraj and Gandhi Mandapam.
Speaking at the launch, Rahul Gandhi began by slamming the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that the right-wing “thinks of the Indian flag as their personal property”. “They think the flag is their personal property. They think that they can decide the future of this country, states and the people single handedly,” he said. He also compared the Narendra Modi-led Union government to the British rule. "Back then it was called East India Company, now the country is in the hands of a select few companies," Rahul claimed.
Rahul said that the purpose of the Bharat Jodo Yatra was to “listen to the voices and the wisdom of the people”. “Please remember that it is not only important to salute the flag, but to defend and celebrate the ideas and values behind it,” the Congress leader said. He also thanked MK Stalin for participating in the launch of the yatra. Thousands of party workers and cadre from several parts of the country participated in the meeting addressed by Rahul himself, and leaders including TN CM Stalin, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel. While CM Stalin was expected to attend the public gathering, he only presented the flag and left the spot. Among those present at the event on Wednesday were VCK founder and president Thol Thirumavalavan, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Mallikarjune Kharge, P Chidambaram, Vijay Vasanth and others were present.
Earlier in the day, Rahul paid floral tributes to his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at the latter's memorial in Sriperumbudur and sat in a silent prayer in his memory. He also planted a sapling at the memorial.
#BharatJodoBegins officially
— Congress (@INCIndia) September 7, 2022
CM Tamil Nadu Shri @mkstalin, CM Rajasthan Shri @ashokgehlot51 & CM Chhattisgarh Shri @bhupeshbaghel hand over the Tiranga to Shri @RahulGandhi at Mahatma Gandhi Mandapam to mark the onset of the biggest political movement in India since independence. pic.twitter.com/TaGRluQ5nx
The walkathon was formally launched at the Mahatma Gandhi Mandapam as he was handed over a Khadi national flag by CM Stalin. However, his padayatra from Kanyakumari to Srinagar over the course of 150 days is to commence on Thursday morning from Agastheeswaram. According to party workers, the plan is that the yatra will move in two batches, one from 7 am to 10.30 am, and the other from 3.30 pm to 6.30 pm. While the morning session will include a lesser number of participants, the evening session will see mass mobilisation. Further, there will be community interaction between 10.30 am and 3.30 pm, where Rahul Gandhi is expected to meet the public. On average, the leaders and cadres participating in the rally will walk around 22-23 km daily, Jairam Ramesh had earlier said.
Party president Sonia Gandhi was not present at the meeting, but sent a message regretting her inability to be present at the event. In the message, she said that she was confident that the party will be rejuvenated with the Bharat Jodo Yatra. "I'll be participating in Bharat Jodo Yatra in part and spirit daily," she said.
Stating that the launch of the historic yatra from Tamil Nadu was a proud moment, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee KS Alagiri said that Mahatma Gandhi's Dandi march started similarly and ended in the destruction of the British Empire. "Rahul Gandhi is reiterating the fact that all Indians are equal," he added.
P Chidambaram, speaking at the event, said, “In 1942, Mahatma Gandhi started the Quit India movement. He asked the British to quit India. The Bharat Chhodo movement was ridiculed by the right-wing, and now when we say Bharat Jodo they are saying the same thing. In the first independence, you (BJP) had no role, and in the second independence now you have no role. Our efforts will not stop until the divisive forces quit from India.”
Addressing a press meet on Wednesday morning, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary KC Venugopal said, "Simultaneously as the main yatra launch at Kanyakumari, there will be a programme held at all assembly constituencies by the block level Congress workers. Further, apart from the 12 states covered by Rahul Gandhi, there will be separate Bharat Jodo Yatras in states not covered by him, like Assam, Tripura, Bihar, Odisha, Sikkim, West Bengal and Nagaland." It is to be noted that the yatra alcomes ahead of the crucial Assembly election in Gujarat scheduled to be held in December this year.