Lok Sabha MP Danish Ali, who was recently suspended by the BSP, on Sunday joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra here, saying he would be failing in his duty as a politician if he did not participate in the "biggest drive for unity and justice".

Ali has been actively joining opposition ranks in attacking the BJP and its policies even though the Mayawati-led BSP has maintained a distance from the BJP-led NDA as well as the opposition bloc INDIA. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) suspended him in December for "anti-party" activities.

Ali sat along with the Congress leaders in the front row on the dias at the Yatra flag-off event in Thoubal on Sunday and later joined Gandhi on the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra bus.

In a post on X, Ali announced after landing in Imphal that he had decided to join the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

He recalled that Rahul Gandhi was the "first leader to express solidarity" with him after he faced a hate "attack" in Parliament when a BJP MP used derogatory words against him.

"This is a very important moment for me. I have arrived here after much soul-searching. I had two options either to accept the status quo and ignore the exploitation of Dalits, backwards, tribals, minorities and other marginalised and poor sections, or to launch an all-out campaign against this atmosphere of fear, hate, exploitation and the deepening divide in the country," he said.

"My conscience pushed me to take the second option. Taking this decision came naturally to me as I was myself at the receiving end of a similar attack in Parliament, where swear words were used by a member of the ruling party against me and my religion," the BSP leader said.

BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri had used derogatory words for Ali in Parliament which had led to massive outrage and the matter was sent to the privilege committee before which the BJP MP had expressed regret.

Ali claimed that his call for justice and action against the guilty member of Parliament fell on deaf ears.

"Instead of punishing my attacker, the ruling establishment rewarded him. I have realised that the attack on me was part of a larger plan to create an atmosphere of fear and hate in the country," Ali alleged.

"In that hour of distress, Rahul Gandhi ji was the first leader to express solidarity with me and stand by me and my family," he asserted.

The purpose of Rahul Gandhi's Yatra is to get justice for the marginalised and the exploited sections, Ali said.

"This yatra is a call for action against divisive forces. This yatra is a drive to unite the people of our country against fear, hate, exploitation and divisiveness.

"I have decided to join him in this yatra because I feel I would be failing in my duty as a politician and a social worker if I did not join the biggest drive for unity and justice," the Lok Sabha MP said.

He wished for the success of the yatra and the future of the country.

Posting pictures with Gandhi and some children from inside the Yatra bus, Ali said on X, "Today, by joining @RahulGandhi ji's @bharatjodo yatra, we sounded the bugle of struggle for justice and unity.

"This yatra is a struggle to give the poor, deprived and exploited class their rights and improve their lives. The Yatra is a struggle against hateful politics and a government that operates at the behest of the rich." The Yatra will traverse 6,713 km, mostly by bus. It will cover 100 Lok Sabha constituencies in 110 districts in 67 days before culminating in Mumbai on March 20 or 21.

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