Congress president Sonia Gandhi arrived in Mysore on Monday afternoon to meet the Bharat Jodo Yatris, who have braved extreme weather to cover 400km so far, drawing overwhelming support in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
Sonia will join the Yatra on October 6 at Mandya and walk for a brief period to get a feel of the Yatra. The walkathon will take a break on October 4 and 5 in Mysore, famous for its Dussehra celebrations, allowing Sonia to interact with and encourage the marchers, who have to walk another 3,200km over the next 125 days.
“It is a test of endurance,” party communications chief Jairam Ramesh said, arguing that no political party anywhere in the world had attempted anything of this sort ever before.
Citing how a massive crowd had heard out Rahul Gandhi on Sunday amid a downpour, Ramesh said: “We were told Tamil Nadu and Kerala are easy but the real challenge will come when we enter BJP-ruled Karnataka. But the crowds are getting bigger in Karnataka.”
After welcoming Sonia at Mysore airport, Karnataka Congress president D.K. Shivakumar said the Yatra would gain strength with her arrival. Sonia hadn’t met Rahul and the other Yatris after returning from the US, where she had gone for a medical check-up. She wasn’t present at the Yatra’s launch in Kanyakumari last month.
Although there was speculation about Rahul visiting Delhi during a rest day, he hasn’t gone anywhere since the beginning of the Yatra. Party leaders said Sonia was herself keen to meet the Yatris and decided to fly down to Karnataka.
She has already been infected with Covid twice, and doctors have advised her against visiting crowded places.
Emboldened by the massive popular response the Yatra has been receiving, the Congress on Monday launched a mobile app that will enable users to see the Yatra live, track updates, read daily blogs and get a participation certificate. The Yatra is already being streamed live on a dedicated website.
Rahul on Monday posted photographs of his visit to a temple, a mosque and a church during the Yatra, with this message: “Equality and respect (for) all the religions are the foundation of India’s peaceful and progressive future.”
On Facebook, he wrote: “Be it temple, or mosque, or church or gurdwara, the message they give is one — of love, compassion, peace and harmony. India is a confluence of different religions, cultures and languages. This pluralism is our strength. We have to save our lovely country when her strength is under attack. The Bharat Jodo Yatra is for people of every religion, every class, every child, men, women, old and youth. Let’s join hands to unite India.”
Rahul also posted a message on the carnage in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, where a Union minister’s son allegedly ran over and killed four protesting farmers and a journalist exactly a year ago.
“One year has passed but the martyrs of Lakhimpur (Kheri) have not got justice. Like always, the BJP is protecting the criminals. When we decided to start the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the (yearlong) farmers’ movement (of 2020-21 against three now-revoked agricultural laws) was a big inspiration. This struggle will not end without ensuring justice to farmers,” Rahul wrote.
The Yatra has been highlighting many issues: one day was dedicated to women’s safety last week.
On Monday, Ramesh said: “This government has shown its anti-farmer instincts from day one. The government is trying to promote private companies in the agriculture trade. This is dangerous. The Bharat Jodo Yatra is also fighting for economic justice to farmers. We extend support to all the demands of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (spearhead of the yearlong agitation), including the legal guarantee for MSP (minimum support price).”
