A day before the commencement of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur, the Congress clarified on Saturday that it is an ideological journey, not an electoral one. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh emphasized that the yatra aims to highlight the “anyay kaal” (era of injustice) during the 10 years of the Narendra Modi government.
Addressing a press conference alongside former Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, State Party Chief Keisham Meghachandra Singh, and Congress Working Committee member Gaikhangam, Ramesh stated that the country faces an ideology promoting polarization, economic disparities, and political authoritarianism.
“The yatra is being taken out keeping in mind political, economic, and social injustices committed in the last 10 years,” Ramesh said. He underscored that the yatra is a political party’s initiative with an ideological focus and not geared towards electoral gains.
The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is scheduled to pass through 100 Lok Sabha constituencies across 15 states. The Congress anticipates it to be as transformative as Rahul Gandhi’s previous cross-country march. The yatra aims to re-establish the principles of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity enshrined in the Constitution, as the government allegedly did not provide an opportunity to address people’s concerns in Parliament.
Initially planned to be flagged off from Imphal, the yatra will now commence from a private ground in Manipur’s Thoubal district, as the state government granted conditional approval for Palace Grounds in Imphal with restrictions on the number of participants. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will cover 6,713 km, mainly by bus, and will span 110 districts, 100 Lok Sabha seats, and 337 assembly segments over 67 days, concluding in Mumbai on March 20 or 21.
