‘All the big leaders from other states may also join the show in the end, but that is not confirm yet’.
NEW DELHI: The Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY), which started from Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, on 7 September 2022 is preparing for its last leg in Kashmir. On Thursday this week, the yatra resumed with a flag handover ceremony from Pathankot, Punjab, and is now headed for its culmination in Srinagar with a concluding ceremony on 30 January and unfolding of the tricolour in the state. Moreover, the party has sent invitation to all major like-minded leaders across the country to be a part of the yatra, which the party believes will send a clear message of unity among people against the BJP. A Congress leader said, “People are coming by themselves. Moreover, all the big leaders from other states may also join the show in the end, but that is not confirm yet. Invitations have been sent to all of them.” Another senior leader in the state said, “All the energies are put into preparations by party leaders and it is very important that the yatra ends up with a dominating message. The party should be able to sustain the narrative of achieving glorious success, and for that, more visible and more populous closure is necessary.”
Congress leaders believe the cadre has never in eight years been so active and clear about what they have to do. A Congress leader said, “Rahulji has given us an idea and now we have to hold on to that thread of idea which is anti-RSS. Before we were juggling between soft Hindutva and secular ideology. But now it is different. He has clearly and repeatedly been making statements against the RSS and issues where the people are hurting. He is single-handedly representing people.”
Before entering the state, Rahul Gandhi blamed the BJP of creating fear. “Whatever we do is to wipe out fear. And whatever they do, they (BJP) do to spread fear. Look at their policies—farmers get up at 4 am in the morning and they toil hard daily and feed the nation. Farmers do not want anything in return, they only want respect,” he said.
During its last phase in the state, the yatra will be joined by many prominent leaders at different locations, including Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah from National Conference, Mehbooba Mufti from PDP and Mohd. Yousuf Tarigami from the Communist Party of India (M).
However, other leaders like Sajjad Lone from People’s Conference, Altaf Bukhari from Apni Party and Gulam Nabi Azad from DAP will not join the yatra. It is also believed by party leaders that social media has played a major role in sending the message of the yatra across and people are wanting to join it to see Rahul Gandhi, who was till now considered a leader on twitter and not a leader on the ground.