Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed on Saturday said party leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ was for peace and unity, and not to break any monuments.
She told reporters in Chennai that the yatra, for 150 days, would cover 3,500 km and throughout the period, Mr. Gandhi would stay and travel in a container. “He would not stay in any hotel and it is not a Volvo-bus yatra,” she explained.
She said since it was a straight yatra covering 12 States and two Union Territories, it had been divided into three categories. “Mr. Gandhi’s yatra is live-staged and 100 volunteers would walk with him. The Aditi yatra will allow partymen from other States to participate since the yatra is not going to all States. In the Pradesh yatra, local Congress leaders and cadre will take part,” she said.
She said Mr. Gandhi would interact with local fishermen, farmers, Dalits, women and people from all walks of life on issues such as economic distress, unemployment and social polarisation on the lines of caste, religion, tribe and political overreach. She alleged that the BJP government at the Centre was subverting democratic institutions and indiscriminately using Central agencies against political rivals.
