The ethnic strife in Manipur symbolises the politics of hate that the BJP-RSS follows, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said while launching his Manipur-to-Mumbai Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on Sunday in Thoubal.
The 6,713-km yatra, covering much of the distance by bus, was flagged off by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at Thoubal, around 35 km from Imphal. The yatra will conclude in Mumbai on March 20 after passing through 15 States in 67 days.
The Congress leader embarked on the yatra with a promise of bringing peace and harmony in the violence-hit State.
“Maybe for [Prime Minister] Narendra Modi, the BJP and the RSS, Manipur is not a part of India. Your pain is not their pain. We understand the pain that the people of Manipur have been through, we understand the hurt, the sadness. We will bring back harmony, peace and affection for which this State was known,” he said at a public meeting before the start of the yatra.
‘Fight for justice’
One year after completing the 4,000-km-long Kanniyakumari-Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra at Srinagar, Mr. Gandhi hit the road again “to fight for justice”.
The yatra, which will be covered by bus with about six to eight km of padayatra [foot march] every day, was flagged off by Mr. Kharge, who handed the national flag to Mr. Gandhi in the presence of the party top brass, including Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his Telangana counterpart Revanth Reddy and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu.
Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, however, was not present at the launch.
The programme was delayed by about three hours as the special flight carrying the Congress leaders, including Mr. Gandhi, couldn’t take off from Delhi because of poor visibility and dense fog.
After reaching Imphal, Mr. Gandhi went to Khongjom War Memorial at Thoubal, to pay homage to the bravehearts of the Anglo-Manipur War, which took place in 1891. Soon after, he addressed a public rally where he explained why he started the yatra from Manipur.
“There was a debate as to where should the next phase of Bharat Jodo Yatra start from. Some people said it should start from the west, some suggested that it should start from east. I clearly stated that the next phase can start only from Manipur and nowhere else. The BJP and RSS’ politics of hatred, their vision, their ideology... Manipur now symbolises what this ideology has done,” Mr. Gandhi said.
“Question arises why Nyay Yatra? Because we are going through a period of great injustice in India – social, economic and political injustice. Injustice against the people of Manipur, the traditions of Manipur, but also injustice across the nation,” he noted.
Monopolies are being built and a few people are controlling the economic resources, while small and medium businesses are being destroyed, he alleged. “Huge levels of unemployment and massive price rise are what the whole of India is facing,” the Congress leader said.
“On the social side, the large mass of India’s people – the lower castes, Dalits and tribals – simply do not have a say in the governance system of the country. I have given you example upon example of how the large mass of our people are excluded from the political system and governance,” the Congress leader said.
Watch: Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra | Route, dates and States covered
Mounting a scathing attack, Mr. Kharge accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using religion and faith to seek votes. “Everybody has faith in God and remembers God, there is no doubt about that, but don’t do this for votes. One should not do dhongbaazi [deception] for securing votes...The BJP has Ram on its lips but carries a knife by their side. They should not have such an approach towards people,” the Congress chief alleged.
Dig at PM’s beach visit
Referring to the recent visit of the Prime Minister to Lakshwadeep, Mr. Kharge said if Mr. Modi could visit a beach and dive into sea, why couldn’t he come to Manipur, hit by ethnic violence since last May.
The Congress chief also alleged that a dictatorial attitude prevails in the country and the BJP is trying to finish democracy. “We raised questions in Parliament, but the government did not answer and suspended 146 people [MPs] and we said this is undemocratic but they did not listen to us,” he said.
Just before the launch, Bahujan Samaj Party leader and Lok Sabha member Danish Ali also joined the yatra.
The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will cover 6,713 km and will pass through 100 Lok Sabha constituencies across 15 States. Together, these States account for 357 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats. “The yatra is being taken out keeping in mind the political, economic and social injustices committed in the last 10 years. It is an ideological yatra and not an electoral one,” Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh said on Saturday.
