Manipur :- Congress MP Rahul Gandhi is set to kick off the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on January 14 from a private ground in Thoubal district, deviating from the initially planned starting point in Imphal. The flagging-off ceremony underwent last-minute changes due to tensions in the state, leading to a political dispute between the ruling and opposition parties.
The proposed Hapta Kangjeibung public ground in Imphal faced hurdles in receiving permissions from the Manipur government, prompting the Congress to seek an alternative venue. Despite discussions with Chief Minister N Biren Singh on January 10, the permission was not granted initially. However, a late-night decision by Thoubal DC eventually allowed the Yatra to commence from a private land in the Khongjom area of the district.
Congress’s Manipur president, Keisham Meghachandra, stated, “Not more than 1,000 people will be allowed at the venue, causing an alarming situation as the permission was initially withheld. Despite the change in the starting point, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge will flag off the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, affirming that the route remains unchanged.”
The Yatra, covering a distance of 6,713 kilometers over 67 days, will pass through 110 districts across 15 states, starting in Manipur on January 14 and concluding in Mumbai on March 20. The altered starting point aims to ensure a smooth initiation of the Yatra amid the prevailing circumstances in the state.
