The Congress on Wednesday said its Bharat Jodo Yatra must not be compared with the BJP’s multiple yatras over the past few decades that were entirely different in both intent and style.

“Their Rath Yatra was wrath yatra,” Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh said, referring to L.K. Advani’s infamous political-cum-religious journey that started from Gujarat’s Somnath on September 25, 1990. “Our yatra is not to divide the society, not to destroy a monument,” Ramesh argued, stressing that Rahul Gandhi would lead the Bharat Jodo Yatra from September 7 to unite the nation.Ramesh pointed out that the Congress event would be entirely a padyatra, a march on foot.

He said: “Ours is not a Toyota or Innova Yatra. We will walk through villages and towns to listen to people. After the inaugural rally on September 7 at Kanyakumari to be addressed by Rahul Gandhi, there will be no speeches on the way. Rahul will meet civil society representatives, labour unions, professionals, farmers, workers and students. It is intended to understand their problems. It is for peace, amity and brotherhood.”

Ramesh was addressing the media in Tamil Nadu after reviewing preparations for the yatra along with Digvijaya Singh and state Congress leaders.

Digvijaya said: “Our yatra is basically against the divisive forces. India is all about unity in diversity. Anybody who is opposed to the RSS philosophy of hate and division can join.” Rahul will take part in the yatra for the entire duration.Ramesh said: “The BJP yatra was for broadcast. Our yatra is for listening. We will cover 23km everyday over 148 days passing through 12 states and two Union Territories.”

Advani’s yatras were much bigger, with the motorised rath covering over 300km a day. He made at least six speeches daily. Those participating in the Rath Yatra in accompanying vehicles carried swords, spears and Trishul and shouted provocative and incendiary slogans.

Advani’s Rath Yatra, which left a trail of violence and destruction, was clearly designed to create a militant Hindutva that would help the BJP politically. The overriding theme of his messaging was “Hindu khatre mein hai (Hindus are in danger)” and sought their political uprising to grab power. Slogans like “Jis Hindu ka khoon na khaule, khoon nahin woh paani hai (A Hindu whose blood doesn’t boil has water, not blood, flowing through his veins)” and far more provocative utterings rent the air, creating social tension on the way.While this Rath Yatra was for extending support to the VHP agenda of constructing a Ram temple in Ayodhya, other such ventures of the BJP were also intended to exploit the fissures in Indian society.

Murli Manohar Joshi led the Ekta Yatra (Unity March) in 1991 from Kanyakumari to Kashmir but the main theme was the grudge against the now-repealed special constitutional arrangements for Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370. The yatra ended by hoisting the Tricolour at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk amidst heavy security in 1992.

Advani again took out a 15,000km Swran Jayanti Yatra in 1997, the biggest such event so far. Though the stated objective was to pay homage to the freedom fighters on the golden jubilee of Independence, the real purpose was political mobilisation to consolidate the BJP’s position at the national level.

He led the India Shining Yatra in 2004, aimed at retaining power in the parliamentary election that year, which didn’t happen. In 2011, he took out a Jan Chetna Yatra to highlight the scourge of black money, a campaign that climaxed with Narendra Modi promising Rs 15 lakh in every Indian’s bank account before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

While BJP leaders haven’t undertaken any long march on foot, incumbent Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy embarked on a 3,648km padyatra in the state before the 2019 Assembly elections, an effort that propelled him to power. His father and former Congress chief minister Y. Rajasekhara Reddy had also undertaken a 1,400km padyatra in 2003.The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which will cover 3,600km, will neither use vehicles, nor will the participants be allowed to stay in hotels.

While there is no question of display of arms and toxic slogans, the Congress will not even use its party flag. Citizens, NGOs, activists and apolitical unions are also invited to participate along with all Opposition parties. Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin will flag off the yatra from Kanyakumari.