News Analysis India

Tag: Bharat-Jodo Yatra

  • UP: Ex-Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma refuses, Opposition leaders unlikely to join Bharat Jodo Yatra

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: In response to Congress party’s invite to join the UP leg of its Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by party’s former chief Rahul Gandhi, neither former UP Deputy CM Dr Dinesh Sharma nor other opposition leaders seem interested in obliging the ‘grand old party,’ the yatra of which is likely to enter UP from Loni border of Ghaziabad on January 3.

    Congress had extended invite to Dr Dinesh Sharma in the capacity of LU professor and several leaders of non-BJP parties, including SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, BSP supremo Mayawati and RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary, SP MLA Shivpal Yadav, SBSP chief OP Rajbhar and CPI general secretary Atul Anjan to take part in the Uttar Pradesh leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra which will cover three districts—Ghaziabad, Baghpat and Shamli.

    When asked about Congress’s invite, Dr Dinesh Sharma outrightly rejected the Congress’s offer while suggesting Rahul Gandhi to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to connect the country.

    Claiming that he did not have any information about invitation for the UP leg of the Congress yatra, Dr Dinesh Sharma laughed it off saying that those indulging in “Bharat Todo” (breaking the country) were taking out “Bharat Jodo” yatra.

    He said Congress was filled with “negativity” and it was clearly evident in its opposition to annulling of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and its joining hands with the Indian Muslim league in Kerala.Meanwhile, the SP and RLD spokesmen also expressed the inability of their leaders to join the yatra owing to their pre-occupations.

    While SP’s national spokesman Rajendra Chaudhury claimed that Akhilesh’s schedule was already fixed for those dates when the Yatra would cover UP, so he would not be able to join it, RLD chief spokesman Anil Dubey said that Jayant Chaudhury might not be able to join the yatra as he had pre-scheduled party meetings.

    However, he said that the participation of any other RLD leader representing Jayant in Yatra would be decided by the party chief himself. On the other, the BSP and SBSP are still awaiting the formal invite after getting phone calls from Congress’s senior leader and Yatra’s UP coordinator Salman Khurshid. As per the lone BSP MLA Umashanakr Singh, the decision to be a part of the Yatra rests with Behenji (BSP chief Mayawati).

    On the other, SBSP chef OP Rajbhar said the decision to join Congress Yatra would be taken collectively by his party leaders at a meeting on December 30. Meanwhile, UP Congress, on Tuesday, released the route map of the party’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ in the state which will enter Ghaziabad’s Loni area on January 3 and travel to Haryana via Shamli’s Kairana.

    On January 4,  the yatra would reach Mavi Kalan in Baghpat and pass through Baghpat city and Sisana, Sarurpur and Barot in the same district. On January 5, it would reach Alam in Shamli district and pass through Kandhla, Uncha village and Kairana. Same evening the Yatra would enter Sonepat in Haryana from Kairana.

    LUCKNOW: In response to Congress party’s invite to join the UP leg of its Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by party’s former chief Rahul Gandhi, neither former UP Deputy CM Dr Dinesh Sharma nor other opposition leaders seem interested in obliging the ‘grand old party,’ the yatra of which is likely to enter UP from Loni border of Ghaziabad on January 3.

    Congress had extended invite to Dr Dinesh Sharma in the capacity of LU professor and several leaders of non-BJP parties, including SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, BSP supremo Mayawati and RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary, SP MLA Shivpal Yadav, SBSP chief OP Rajbhar and CPI general secretary Atul Anjan to take part in the Uttar Pradesh leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra which will cover three districts—Ghaziabad, Baghpat and Shamli.

    When asked about Congress’s invite, Dr Dinesh Sharma outrightly rejected the Congress’s offer while suggesting Rahul Gandhi to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to connect the country.

    Claiming that he did not have any information about invitation for the UP leg of the Congress yatra, Dr Dinesh Sharma laughed it off saying that those indulging in “Bharat Todo” (breaking the country) were taking out “Bharat Jodo” yatra.

    He said Congress was filled with “negativity” and it was clearly evident in its opposition to annulling of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and its joining hands with the Indian Muslim league in Kerala.
    Meanwhile, the SP and RLD spokesmen also expressed the inability of their leaders to join the yatra owing to their pre-occupations.

    While SP’s national spokesman Rajendra Chaudhury claimed that Akhilesh’s schedule was already fixed for those dates when the Yatra would cover UP, so he would not be able to join it, RLD chief spokesman Anil Dubey said that Jayant Chaudhury might not be able to join the yatra as he had pre-scheduled party meetings.

    However, he said that the participation of any other RLD leader representing Jayant in Yatra would be decided by the party chief himself. On the other, the BSP and SBSP are still awaiting the formal invite after getting phone calls from Congress’s senior leader and Yatra’s UP coordinator Salman Khurshid. As per the lone BSP MLA Umashanakr Singh, the decision to be a part of the Yatra rests with Behenji (BSP chief Mayawati).

    On the other, SBSP chef OP Rajbhar said the decision to join Congress Yatra would be taken collectively by his party leaders at a meeting on December 30. Meanwhile, UP Congress, on Tuesday, released the route map of the party’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ in the state which will enter Ghaziabad’s Loni area on January 3 and travel to Haryana via Shamli’s Kairana.

    On January 4,  the yatra would reach Mavi Kalan in Baghpat and pass through Baghpat city and Sisana, Sarurpur and Barot in the same district. On January 5, it would reach Alam in Shamli district and pass through Kandhla, Uncha village and Kairana. Same evening the Yatra would enter Sonepat in Haryana from Kairana.

  • Kamal Haasan joins Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Delhi, says ‘here as an Indian’

    By Online Desk

    NEW DELHI: Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan attended the Bharat Jodo Yatra as it entered the national capital today. 

    The Makkal Needhi Maiam chief was accompanied by party functionaries and joined the yatra from the ITO and walked with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to the Red Fort.Haasan said there is no politics behind his visit as he heard his inner voice to save India from hatred to come here.

    “This yatra is not for any political aim, but raises its voice against unemployment, price rise, China’s attack on India and against the hatred being spread in the country,” he said.

    Walking to connect the legacy of our glorious past with our bright future @RahulGandhi @maiamofficial #BharatJodoYatra #MakkalNeedhiMaiam pic.twitter.com/TGAM6cpWM9

    — Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) December 24, 2022

    “Many people ask me why I am here. I am here as an Indian. My father was a Congressman. I had various ideologies and started my own political party. But when it comes to the country, all political party lines have to blur. I blurred that line and came here.”

    The MNM chief added, “I stood in front of the mirror and said to myself, this is when the country needs me the most. Then a voice came from inside me – ‘Kamal… do not help break India, help unite’.”

    Kamal Haasan joins the list of several celebrities who took part in the yatra which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 has traversed nine states so far and is set to culminate in Jammu and Kashmir by the end of January.

    In the past, actors Swara Bhasker, Pooja Bhatt, Riya sen, Amol Palekar and his wife, writer-filmmaker Sandhya Gokhale were among the list of celebrities who took part in the yatra.

    It has covered around 3,000 km in 46 districts across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telengana, Andra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana.

    The Yatra will take a nine-day winter break and restart on January 3 for its onward journey to Jammu and Kashmir, after passing through Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab.

    (With inputs from PTI and ANI)

    NEW DELHI: Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan attended the Bharat Jodo Yatra as it entered the national capital today. 

    The Makkal Needhi Maiam chief was accompanied by party functionaries and joined the yatra from the ITO and walked with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to the Red Fort.
    Haasan said there is no politics behind his visit as he heard his inner voice to save India from hatred to come here.

    “This yatra is not for any political aim, but raises its voice against unemployment, price rise, China’s attack on India and against the hatred being spread in the country,” he said.

    Walking to connect the legacy of our glorious past with our bright future @RahulGandhi @maiamofficial #BharatJodoYatra #MakkalNeedhiMaiam pic.twitter.com/TGAM6cpWM9

    — Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) December 24, 2022

    “Many people ask me why I am here. I am here as an Indian. My father was a Congressman. I had various ideologies and started my own political party. But when it comes to the country, all political party lines have to blur. I blurred that line and came here.”

    The MNM chief added, “I stood in front of the mirror and said to myself, this is when the country needs me the most. Then a voice came from inside me – ‘Kamal… do not help break India, help unite’.”

    Kamal Haasan joins the list of several celebrities who took part in the yatra which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 has traversed nine states so far and is set to culminate in Jammu and Kashmir by the end of January.

    In the past, actors Swara Bhasker, Pooja Bhatt, Riya sen, Amol Palekar and his wife, writer-filmmaker Sandhya Gokhale were among the list of celebrities who took part in the yatra.

    It has covered around 3,000 km in 46 districts across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telengana, Andra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana.

    The Yatra will take a nine-day winter break and restart on January 3 for its onward journey to Jammu and Kashmir, after passing through Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab.

    (With inputs from PTI and ANI)

  • Rahul’s Bharat Jodo yatra on Covid watch, Congress cries politics

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: A political slugfest broke out Wednesday after Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya wrote to Rahul Gandhi, asking him to ensure Covid-19 guidelines are followed during the Bharat Jodo Yatra or to suspend it in “national interest,” with the Congress taking on the BJP, and accused it of playing “politics.” 

    In his letter dated December 20, the minister requested the Congress leader to ensure Covid guidelines, including masks and sanitisers, are strictly followed, and only those vaccinated are allowed to participate in the Yatra.

    “If Covid protocol cannot be followed, then, given the public health emergency, and to save the country from the Covid pandemic, I request you to suspend the Bharat Jodo Yatra in the national interest,” the minister further said in his letter.

    Reacting to the letter, Congress MP and general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “Public health is far too serious an issue to play party politics. If there is a  protocol for gatherings, Bharat Jodo Yatra will abide by it.” Later speaking with reporters, the minister said it is his “duty to ensure Covid doesn’t spread in the country.”

    He said during the Yatra, “several” people got infected with Covid-19, and that’s why he wrote to Rahul Gandhi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. He was referring to Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu getting infected with Covid-19 as an example. 

    “Congress’s reaction shows their callous attitude towards Covid. If someone thinks about how a minister can question them (Rahul Gandhi), what can I do about that mindset? Questioning me is like obstructing me from doing my duty,” he added.

    Though, Covid-19 cases in India have declined in the past few weeks, concerns have been raised following the global outbreak, especially in China, the US and East Asia. 

    The minister said he wrote to Rahul Gandhi after three Rajasthan MPs wrote to him, raising concerns about the spread of Covid-19 in the state. “Keeping this in mind, I took the view of experts, and on that basis, I wrote to Rahuji that many who took part in the Yatra have been detected with Covid-19.”

    “I have written the letter as a health minister to ensure people are healthy. But they are coming to the protection of one family, and thus I am being questioned about how I have written such a letter,” Mandaviya later told reporters.

    Congress took on the health minister, saying that the centre has not issued any advisory on Covid-19.

    In a statement, Ramesh said that the health minister has written to Rahul Gandhi based on a letter sent to him by a BJP MP from Rajasthan who alleges that Bharat Jodo Yatra has not been following Covid protocols.

    “This MP’s letter was sent following the enormous success of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in his state. Parliament is meeting typically. Masks are no longer compulsory anywhere, including on flights. BJP has taken out yatras in Rajasthan and Karnataka. There has been no advisory from the Centre to states of late except the one issued yesterday on genome sequencing.” 

    “It also bears recall that in March 2020, the Modi government delayed imposition of lockdown by at least a week to enable the toppling of the Congress government in MP,” he said. 

    The Yatra has now entered Haryana on Wednesday and will then proceed to Delhi on December 24.

    The Yatra, which began from Kanyakumari on September 7, marked its 100 days on Friday, during the 12th day of its Rajasthan leg. The yatra has covered parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. It will end in Jammu and Kashmir on January 26.

    ALSO READ | Why just Bharat Jodo Yatra? Congress questions Mandaviya

    NEW DELHI: A political slugfest broke out Wednesday after Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya wrote to Rahul Gandhi, asking him to ensure Covid-19 guidelines are followed during the Bharat Jodo Yatra or to suspend it in “national interest,” with the Congress taking on the BJP, and accused it of playing “politics.” 

    In his letter dated December 20, the minister requested the Congress leader to ensure Covid guidelines, including masks and sanitisers, are strictly followed, and only those vaccinated are allowed to participate in the Yatra.

    “If Covid protocol cannot be followed, then, given the public health emergency, and to save the country from the Covid pandemic, I request you to suspend the Bharat Jodo Yatra in the national interest,” the minister further said in his letter.

    Reacting to the letter, Congress MP and general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “Public health is far too serious an issue to play party politics. If there is a  protocol for gatherings, Bharat Jodo Yatra will abide by it.” Later speaking with reporters, the minister said it is his “duty to ensure Covid doesn’t spread in the country.”

    He said during the Yatra, “several” people got infected with Covid-19, and that’s why he wrote to Rahul Gandhi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. He was referring to Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu getting infected with Covid-19 as an example. 

    “Congress’s reaction shows their callous attitude towards Covid. If someone thinks about how a minister can question them (Rahul Gandhi), what can I do about that mindset? Questioning me is like obstructing me from doing my duty,” he added.

    Though, Covid-19 cases in India have declined in the past few weeks, concerns have been raised following the global outbreak, especially in China, the US and East Asia. 

    The minister said he wrote to Rahul Gandhi after three Rajasthan MPs wrote to him, raising concerns about the spread of Covid-19 in the state. “Keeping this in mind, I took the view of experts, and on that basis, I wrote to Rahuji that many who took part in the Yatra have been detected with Covid-19.”

    “I have written the letter as a health minister to ensure people are healthy. But they are coming to the protection of one family, and thus I am being questioned about how I have written such a letter,” Mandaviya later told reporters.

    Congress took on the health minister, saying that the centre has not issued any advisory on Covid-19.

    In a statement, Ramesh said that the health minister has written to Rahul Gandhi based on a letter sent to him by a BJP MP from Rajasthan who alleges that Bharat Jodo Yatra has not been following Covid protocols.

    “This MP’s letter was sent following the enormous success of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in his state. Parliament is meeting typically. Masks are no longer compulsory anywhere, including on flights. BJP has taken out yatras in Rajasthan and Karnataka. There has been no advisory from the Centre to states of late except the one issued yesterday on genome sequencing.” 

    “It also bears recall that in March 2020, the Modi government delayed imposition of lockdown by at least a week to enable the toppling of the Congress government in MP,” he said. 

    The Yatra has now entered Haryana on Wednesday and will then proceed to Delhi on December 24.

    The Yatra, which began from Kanyakumari on September 7, marked its 100 days on Friday, during the 12th day of its Rajasthan leg. The yatra has covered parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. It will end in Jammu and Kashmir on January 26.

    ALSO READ | Why just Bharat Jodo Yatra? Congress questions Mandaviya

  • Why just Bharat Jodo Yatra: Congress questions Mandaviya’s letter to Rahul

    By PTI

    NUH: Accusing the government of selectively picking on the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Congress on Wednesday said the BJP was taking out yatras in Karnataka and Rajasthan and asked if Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had sent letters to their organisers too.

    The poser from Congress leader Pawan Khera came after the minister on Tuesday wrote to former party president Rahul Gandhi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to consider suspending the Bharat Jodo Yatra if Covid protocols could not be followed.

    READ HERE | Consider suspending Yatra if Covid protocols cannot be followed: Union Health Minister to Rahul

    Khera, who pointed to the lack of restrictions in public transport, also asked the government to announce Covid protocols and said the party would follow them.

    “We are wondering why a similar letter was not sent to the president of BJP in Rajasthan Satish Punia who is carrying out a Janakrosh Yatra there. We understand there is not much of a response to that Janakrosh Yatra, there are no people there,” Khera told reporters.

    “We also understand that there is a huge response across the country to the Bharat Jodo Yatra and there is a lot of crowd here,” he added.

    The senior Congress leader said the BJP was taking out yet another yatra in Karnataka.

    “Has the health minister also sent this letter to the Karnataka BJP. We want to know. Today, if you were to travel by air, nobody will ask you to wear a mask or use a sanitiser,” said Khera.

    Why has the government of India, he asked, not introduced stringent measures in public transport.

    Khera went on to pose a series of questions.

    “Why just Rahul Gandhi, why just Congress party, why just Bharat Jodo Yatra? Have they postponed the Parliament or is the Parliament still in session? If physical Parliament can take place, if the Janakrosh Yatra can take place, if the BJP yatra in Karnataka can take place, if there is no mask compulsory in air travel, why are you picking on Rahul Gandhi and Bharat Jodo Yatra…” “Please announce Covid protocols, we will all follow Covid protocols,” he said.

    In his letter addressed to Gandhi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Mandaviya said three MPs from Rajasthan — P P Chaudhary, Nihal Chand and Devji Patel — had flagged concerns. They requested him that Covid protocols, including the use of masks and sanitisers, be strictly followed during the march and only those who are vaccinated be allowed to participate.

      The MPs have also requested the Union minister to ensure that participants are isolated before and after taking part in the march.

    The yatra entered Haryana on Wednesday from Rajasthan on Wednesday morning. The Yatra, a mass contact initiative of the Congress, started from Kanyakumari on September 7 and has covered Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.       It will enter Delhi on December 24, and after a break of about eight days, move on to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and finally, Jammu and Kashmir.

    NUH: Accusing the government of selectively picking on the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Congress on Wednesday said the BJP was taking out yatras in Karnataka and Rajasthan and asked if Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had sent letters to their organisers too.

    The poser from Congress leader Pawan Khera came after the minister on Tuesday wrote to former party president Rahul Gandhi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to consider suspending the Bharat Jodo Yatra if Covid protocols could not be followed.

    READ HERE | Consider suspending Yatra if Covid protocols cannot be followed: Union Health Minister to Rahul

    Khera, who pointed to the lack of restrictions in public transport, also asked the government to announce Covid protocols and said the party would follow them.

    “We are wondering why a similar letter was not sent to the president of BJP in Rajasthan Satish Punia who is carrying out a Janakrosh Yatra there. We understand there is not much of a response to that Janakrosh Yatra, there are no people there,” Khera told reporters.

    “We also understand that there is a huge response across the country to the Bharat Jodo Yatra and there is a lot of crowd here,” he added.

    The senior Congress leader said the BJP was taking out yet another yatra in Karnataka.

    “Has the health minister also sent this letter to the Karnataka BJP. We want to know. Today, if you were to travel by air, nobody will ask you to wear a mask or use a sanitiser,” said Khera.

    Why has the government of India, he asked, not introduced stringent measures in public transport.

    Khera went on to pose a series of questions.

    “Why just Rahul Gandhi, why just Congress party, why just Bharat Jodo Yatra? Have they postponed the Parliament or is the Parliament still in session? If physical Parliament can take place, if the Janakrosh Yatra can take place, if the BJP yatra in Karnataka can take place, if there is no mask compulsory in air travel, why are you picking on Rahul Gandhi and Bharat Jodo Yatra…” “Please announce Covid protocols, we will all follow Covid protocols,” he said.

    In his letter addressed to Gandhi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Mandaviya said three MPs from Rajasthan — P P Chaudhary, Nihal Chand and Devji Patel — had flagged concerns. They requested him that Covid protocols, including the use of masks and sanitisers, be strictly followed during the march and only those who are vaccinated be allowed to participate.

      The MPs have also requested the Union minister to ensure that participants are isolated before and after taking part in the march.

    The yatra entered Haryana on Wednesday from Rajasthan on Wednesday morning. The Yatra, a mass contact initiative of the Congress, started from Kanyakumari on September 7 and has covered Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.       It will enter Delhi on December 24, and after a break of about eight days, move on to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and finally, Jammu and Kashmir.

  • Playing against BJP on Congress-prepared pitch due to Yatra: Ramesh

    By PTI

    DAUSA: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said the Bharat Jodo Yatra has ensured that the Congress is now setting the political narrative in the country and the BJP has been made to play on a pitch prepared by his party.

    In an interview with PTI on the yatra completing 100 days, Ramesh also said that Rahul Gandhi is trying to sharpen the ideological basis of the Congress and is working along with the party’s elected president, Mallikarjun Kharge, as a ‘jugalbandi’ (together).

    Asked whether the party could undertake another such yatra next year, Ramesh said, “I would certainly love to participate in a Porbandar (Gujarat) to Parshuram Kund (Arunachal Pradesh) Yatra but whether we can do it next year and how we can do it next year, it has to be discussed and debated in appropriate party forums.

    ” The Congress general secretary in-charge communications asserted that through the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi has given a new direction to the political discourse and the Congress has set the narrative for the last 100 days.

    “The Congress has been applauded, criticised, praised, reviled. What it means is that we were on the defensive, we were always reacting to what the BJP was saying or what it was doing but through the Bharat Jodo Yatra I think we have succeeded to a very large extent in being able to set the terms of debate and the narrative in the political discourse,” Ramesh said.

    He said the yatra has had an “electrifying internal effect” on the organisation as well as on the external world of Indian politics.

    Ramesh claimed that due to the yatra, the BJP is on the “back foot, disturbed and nervous”.

    “I think we have succeeded in changing the terms of the debate. The narrative is on our pitch now. We are playing cricket against the BJP on a pitch that is prepared by us, we are not playing cricket against the BJP on a pitch prepared by them, that is the difference,” he said.

    Asked if Rahul Gandhi was now the conscience-keeper of the party, Ramesh said that’s a strong word and one does not emerge as a conscience-keeper through just one yatra.

    “He (Gandhi) is raising issues which should be of deep concern to the Indian citizens. He is certainly seen as the ideological compass for the Congress party. We have a full-time elected Congress president and in Rahul Gandhi we have somebody who is trying to sharpen the ideological basis of the Congress,” he said.

    “He and Kharge ji are working as a jugalbandi. To that extent he (Gandhi) has certainly succeeded in energising the party organisation, Congress workers, supporters and giving them a new hope that the Congress party will re-establish itself as the pre-eminent political force in the country,” he said.

    Asked if the yatra would have an electoral impact in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka that go to polls next year, Ramesh reiterated that it is not an electoral yatra but an ideological one.

    “It is a yatra to capture the battlefield of ideas, battlefield of ideologies. Yes we are not an NGO, we are not a ‘sanyasi’ battalion, we are a political party and we exist to fight elections and fight elections to win but whether this Bharat Jodo yatra will have a positive electoral impact, it depends entirely on the Congress organisation,” he said.

    “If we have unity, if we have discipline, if we have a sense of collective purpose, then I think we will be able to take forward the message of the Bharat jodo Yatra and gain electoral success,” he added.

    The yatra was not started to win Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha, but to strengthen the ideological moorings of the Congress, re-establish the connection with the people, reinforce a sense of collective purpose to combat the three big challenges of economic inequality, increase social polarisation and established political authoritarianism.

    Asked about the tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his bete noire Sachin Pilot, Ramesh reiterated Gandhi’s earlier statement that both leaders are assets for the party.

    “Whatever way forward is found by the Congress party and the high command, the principle is very clear, the organisation is supreme. Individuals come and individuals go but it is the organisational interests that are paramount,” he said.

    “I would stress on the supremacy of organisational interest and I am sure that is what is on the minds of the Congress president and others who are working to find a solution,” he said.

    Ramesh also contended that because of the Bharat Jodo Yatra Gandhi has been able to re-establish in the public eye who he really is – caring, compassionate and sensitive.

    “I have said earlier and I would like to repeat this is not a new Rahul Gandhi, this is the real Rahul Gandhi which the country is seeing through the Bharat Jodo Yatra,” he said.

    Ramesh also slammed those who criticise the Congress unnecessarily, saying the Congress bashing is a favourite pastime of not only the right-wing but also of the liberal commentariat.

    “I think that needs to stop. To a large extent because of the Bharat Jodo Yatra this Congress bashing has moderated in tone. I don’t think it has vanished but it has moderated in tone,” he said.

    Ramesh said the large liberal constituency in our country must recognise the only way to defeat the “polarising and poisonous” agenda of the RSS-BJP is by strengthening and reinvigorating the Congress party, its values and its ideology.

    The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari, has completed 102 days and traversed eight states — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan.

    DAUSA: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said the Bharat Jodo Yatra has ensured that the Congress is now setting the political narrative in the country and the BJP has been made to play on a pitch prepared by his party.

    In an interview with PTI on the yatra completing 100 days, Ramesh also said that Rahul Gandhi is trying to sharpen the ideological basis of the Congress and is working along with the party’s elected president, Mallikarjun Kharge, as a ‘jugalbandi’ (together).

    Asked whether the party could undertake another such yatra next year, Ramesh said, “I would certainly love to participate in a Porbandar (Gujarat) to Parshuram Kund (Arunachal Pradesh) Yatra but whether we can do it next year and how we can do it next year, it has to be discussed and debated in appropriate party forums.

    ” The Congress general secretary in-charge communications asserted that through the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi has given a new direction to the political discourse and the Congress has set the narrative for the last 100 days.

    “The Congress has been applauded, criticised, praised, reviled. What it means is that we were on the defensive, we were always reacting to what the BJP was saying or what it was doing but through the Bharat Jodo Yatra I think we have succeeded to a very large extent in being able to set the terms of debate and the narrative in the political discourse,” Ramesh said.

    He said the yatra has had an “electrifying internal effect” on the organisation as well as on the external world of Indian politics.

    Ramesh claimed that due to the yatra, the BJP is on the “back foot, disturbed and nervous”.

    “I think we have succeeded in changing the terms of the debate. The narrative is on our pitch now. We are playing cricket against the BJP on a pitch that is prepared by us, we are not playing cricket against the BJP on a pitch prepared by them, that is the difference,” he said.

    Asked if Rahul Gandhi was now the conscience-keeper of the party, Ramesh said that’s a strong word and one does not emerge as a conscience-keeper through just one yatra.

    “He (Gandhi) is raising issues which should be of deep concern to the Indian citizens. He is certainly seen as the ideological compass for the Congress party. We have a full-time elected Congress president and in Rahul Gandhi we have somebody who is trying to sharpen the ideological basis of the Congress,” he said.

    “He and Kharge ji are working as a jugalbandi. To that extent he (Gandhi) has certainly succeeded in energising the party organisation, Congress workers, supporters and giving them a new hope that the Congress party will re-establish itself as the pre-eminent political force in the country,” he said.

    Asked if the yatra would have an electoral impact in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka that go to polls next year, Ramesh reiterated that it is not an electoral yatra but an ideological one.

    “It is a yatra to capture the battlefield of ideas, battlefield of ideologies. Yes we are not an NGO, we are not a ‘sanyasi’ battalion, we are a political party and we exist to fight elections and fight elections to win but whether this Bharat Jodo yatra will have a positive electoral impact, it depends entirely on the Congress organisation,” he said.

    “If we have unity, if we have discipline, if we have a sense of collective purpose, then I think we will be able to take forward the message of the Bharat jodo Yatra and gain electoral success,” he added.

    The yatra was not started to win Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha, but to strengthen the ideological moorings of the Congress, re-establish the connection with the people, reinforce a sense of collective purpose to combat the three big challenges of economic inequality, increase social polarisation and established political authoritarianism.

    Asked about the tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his bete noire Sachin Pilot, Ramesh reiterated Gandhi’s earlier statement that both leaders are assets for the party.

    “Whatever way forward is found by the Congress party and the high command, the principle is very clear, the organisation is supreme. Individuals come and individuals go but it is the organisational interests that are paramount,” he said.

    “I would stress on the supremacy of organisational interest and I am sure that is what is on the minds of the Congress president and others who are working to find a solution,” he said.

    Ramesh also contended that because of the Bharat Jodo Yatra Gandhi has been able to re-establish in the public eye who he really is – caring, compassionate and sensitive.

    “I have said earlier and I would like to repeat this is not a new Rahul Gandhi, this is the real Rahul Gandhi which the country is seeing through the Bharat Jodo Yatra,” he said.

    Ramesh also slammed those who criticise the Congress unnecessarily, saying the Congress bashing is a favourite pastime of not only the right-wing but also of the liberal commentariat.

    “I think that needs to stop. To a large extent because of the Bharat Jodo Yatra this Congress bashing has moderated in tone. I don’t think it has vanished but it has moderated in tone,” he said.

    Ramesh said the large liberal constituency in our country must recognise the only way to defeat the “polarising and poisonous” agenda of the RSS-BJP is by strengthening and reinvigorating the Congress party, its values and its ideology.

    The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari, has completed 102 days and traversed eight states — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan.

  • Bharat Jodo Yatra resumes from Dausa after day’s break

    By PTI

    DAUSA: The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed from here on Sunday after a day’s break with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and senior leader Sachin Pilot walking alongside the former Congress chief.

    The yatra resumed from Kalakho here around 8 AM. Several people lined up since early morning to greet the yatra. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi will address a rally in Alwar on Monday.

    The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari has traversed eight states — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan.

    It completed 100 days Friday.

    The yatra will enter Delhi on December 24, and after a break of about eight days, move on to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and finally, Jammu and Kashmir.

    It has seen participation from a cross-section of society, including film and TV celebrities such as Pooja Bhatt, Riya Sen, Sushant Singh, Swara Bhasker, Rashami Desai, Akanksha Puri and Amol Palekar.

    Besides participation from tinsel town celebrities, writers, military veterans, including former Navy chief admiral L Ramdas, Opposition leaders such as Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray and the NCP’s Supriya Sule, and former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, have also joined the march at various points.

    DAUSA: The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed from here on Sunday after a day’s break with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and senior leader Sachin Pilot walking alongside the former Congress chief.

    The yatra resumed from Kalakho here around 8 AM. Several people lined up since early morning to greet the yatra. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi will address a rally in Alwar on Monday.

    The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari has traversed eight states — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan.

    It completed 100 days Friday.

    The yatra will enter Delhi on December 24, and after a break of about eight days, move on to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and finally, Jammu and Kashmir.

    It has seen participation from a cross-section of society, including film and TV celebrities such as Pooja Bhatt, Riya Sen, Sushant Singh, Swara Bhasker, Rashami Desai, Akanksha Puri and Amol Palekar.

    Besides participation from tinsel town celebrities, writers, military veterans, including former Navy chief admiral L Ramdas, Opposition leaders such as Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray and the NCP’s Supriya Sule, and former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, have also joined the march at various points.

  • No one should underestimate Congress, it is only party which can bring down BJP: Rahul

    Rahul said during a presser on the completion of 100 days of the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra that Congress does not need those who cannot fight the BJP.

  • Everything will be resolved smoothly: Venugopal on Gehlot-Pilot tussle

    By PTI

    DAUSA: Amid an ongoing power tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his bete noire Sachin Pilot, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal on Friday said “everything will be resolved smoothly” and the party is very much united in the state.

    In an interview with PTI, Venugopal also exuded confidence that the Congress would win the Rajasthan assembly polls next year and return to power.

    His remarks come after a major row erupted last month following Gehlot’s comments that Pilot is a ‘gaddar’ (traitor) and cannot replace him.

    The remarks drew a sharp response from Pilot who had said it was unbecoming of Gehlot’s stature to use that kind of language and that such “mud-slinging” would not help at a time the focus should be on the yatra.

    Asked about the row and whether the differences between Gehlot and Pilot would be resolved, Venugopal, who is participating in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, said, “Everything will be resolved smoothly.”

    ” The party is very much united and working together, the AICC general secretary organisation said. We will win definitely, our chances are very bright,” he said referring to the Rajasthan Assembly polls next year.

    The escalation of the Gehlot-Pilot rift just ahead of the entry of yatra into the desert state had put the party in a spot but Venugopal’s visit to the state last week calmed tempers and in a show of unity both Pilot and Gehlot posed for the cameras along with the AICC general secretary.

    Talking about the yatra completing 100 days, Venugopal Friday said there is tremendous momentum for the foot march and people have been welcoming it everywhere.

    “The issues raised by this yatra are not political issues, they are issues concerning the people. The issue of unemployment, the entire youth of the country is disappointed, price rise is at its peak and the central government is misusing agencies to target people,” Venugopal said.

    The BJP’s divisive politics only for winning elections has created a big division in this country and at such a time the Congress is undertaking this massive yatra to unite people, he said.

    Asked if the yatra would yield electoral gains, Venugopal said this is not aimed at an electoral impact, but added that in the field, the yatra will definitely have an impact.

    “This yatra has electrified our entire cadre. Our workers are now charged. We are going for a massive follow up programme from January 26 onwards from booth level upwards. This will certainly have an impact on the coming elections,” he said.

    The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari has traversed eight states —  Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan.

    It has seen participation from a cross-section of society, including film and TV celebrities such as Pooja Bhatt, Riya Sen, Sushant Singh, Swara Bhasker, Rashami Desai, Akanksha Puri and Amol Palekar.

    Besides participation from tinsel town celebrities, writers, military veterans, including former Navy chief admiral L Ramdas, Opposition leaders such as Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray and the NCP’s Supriya Sule, and former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, have also joined the march at various points.

    DAUSA: Amid an ongoing power tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his bete noire Sachin Pilot, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal on Friday said “everything will be resolved smoothly” and the party is very much united in the state.

    In an interview with PTI, Venugopal also exuded confidence that the Congress would win the Rajasthan assembly polls next year and return to power.

    His remarks come after a major row erupted last month following Gehlot’s comments that Pilot is a ‘gaddar’ (traitor) and cannot replace him.

    The remarks drew a sharp response from Pilot who had said it was unbecoming of Gehlot’s stature to use that kind of language and that such “mud-slinging” would not help at a time the focus should be on the yatra.

    Asked about the row and whether the differences between Gehlot and Pilot would be resolved, Venugopal, who is participating in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, said, “Everything will be resolved smoothly.”

    ” The party is very much united and working together, the AICC general secretary organisation said. We will win definitely, our chances are very bright,” he said referring to the Rajasthan Assembly polls next year.

    The escalation of the Gehlot-Pilot rift just ahead of the entry of yatra into the desert state had put the party in a spot but Venugopal’s visit to the state last week calmed tempers and in a show of unity both Pilot and Gehlot posed for the cameras along with the AICC general secretary.

    Talking about the yatra completing 100 days, Venugopal Friday said there is tremendous momentum for the foot march and people have been welcoming it everywhere.

    “The issues raised by this yatra are not political issues, they are issues concerning the people. The issue of unemployment, the entire youth of the country is disappointed, price rise is at its peak and the central government is misusing agencies to target people,” Venugopal said.

    The BJP’s divisive politics only for winning elections has created a big division in this country and at such a time the Congress is undertaking this massive yatra to unite people, he said.

    Asked if the yatra would yield electoral gains, Venugopal said this is not aimed at an electoral impact, but added that in the field, the yatra will definitely have an impact.

    “This yatra has electrified our entire cadre. Our workers are now charged. We are going for a massive follow up programme from January 26 onwards from booth level upwards. This will certainly have an impact on the coming elections,” he said.

    The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari has traversed eight states —  Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan.

    It has seen participation from a cross-section of society, including film and TV celebrities such as Pooja Bhatt, Riya Sen, Sushant Singh, Swara Bhasker, Rashami Desai, Akanksha Puri and Amol Palekar.

    Besides participation from tinsel town celebrities, writers, military veterans, including former Navy chief admiral L Ramdas, Opposition leaders such as Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray and the NCP’s Supriya Sule, and former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, have also joined the march at various points.

  • Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Yatra: Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan joins Rajasthan leg

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Reserve Bank of India’s former governor Raghuram Rajan on Wednesday joined Rahul Gandhi during the Congress-led Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan.

    The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, is passing through Rajasthan.

    The yatra will complete 100 days on Friday.

    A strong and sound economy is a combination of growth and welfare.Our vision is to reclaim that India.We are glad that Former RBI Governor & leading Economist, Shri Raghuram Rajan joined the #BharatJodoYatra in our endeavour to build an agenda for the future. pic.twitter.com/WeM0gq9uk7
    — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) December 14, 2022
    The yatra resumed from the Bhadoti area of Sawai Madhopur on Wednesday and reached Badhshapura for a morning break.

    Rajan walked with Gandhi during this leg of the yatra on Wednesday.

    “#BharatJodoYatra Shri Raghuram Rajan, former Governor of RBI, shaking steps with @RahulGandhi ji… The increasing number of people standing up to unite the country against hatred shows that we will be successful,” The Indian National Congress tweeted along with a picture of Rajan walking with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

    Dr Raghuram Rajan was the 23rd Governor of the Reserve Bank of India between September 2013 and September 2016. Between 2003 and 2006, he was the Chief Economist and Director of Research at the International Monetary Fund.

    The yatra will resume at 3.30 pm and the evening break will be in Bagdi village of Dausa at 6.30 pm.

    JAIPUR: Reserve Bank of India’s former governor Raghuram Rajan on Wednesday joined Rahul Gandhi during the Congress-led Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan.

    The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, is passing through Rajasthan.

    The yatra will complete 100 days on Friday.

    A strong and sound economy is a combination of growth and welfare.
    Our vision is to reclaim that India.
    We are glad that Former RBI Governor & leading Economist, Shri Raghuram Rajan joined the #BharatJodoYatra in our endeavour to build an agenda for the future. pic.twitter.com/WeM0gq9uk7
    — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) December 14, 2022
    The yatra resumed from the Bhadoti area of Sawai Madhopur on Wednesday and reached Badhshapura for a morning break.

    Rajan walked with Gandhi during this leg of the yatra on Wednesday.

    “#BharatJodoYatra Shri Raghuram Rajan, former Governor of RBI, shaking steps with @RahulGandhi ji… The increasing number of people standing up to unite the country against hatred shows that we will be successful,” The Indian National Congress tweeted along with a picture of Rajan walking with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

    Dr Raghuram Rajan was the 23rd Governor of the Reserve Bank of India between September 2013 and September 2016. Between 2003 and 2006, he was the Chief Economist and Director of Research at the International Monetary Fund.

    The yatra will resume at 3.30 pm and the evening break will be in Bagdi village of Dausa at 6.30 pm.

  • Singer Sunidhi Chauhan to perform at Rajasthan Congress gala

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR:  The Congress is in a celebratory mood in Rajasthan, ahead of two milestones for the party this month the completion of four years of the Ashok Gehlot government in the state as well as 100 days of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Congress will hold a grand celebration in Jaipur on Friday to mark the occasions. Rahul will attend the colourful programme as the chief guest on December 16, the eve of completion of Gehlot’s four years in office. 

    A performance by singer Sunidhi Chauhan will also be a part of the event to be held at Jaipur’s Albert Hall, AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Tuesday. Besides Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, state party in-charge Sukhjinder Randhawa, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasara, all the major state leaders will be present at the programme.

    The event will also mark 100 days of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari on September 7 and has so far covered Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The march will conclude in Jammu and Kashmir in February 2023. 

    “The Yatra will complete 100 days on December 16 and it will be a milestone,’’ Ramesh said at a press conference on Tuesday. The occasion will be observed through a glittering Bharat Jodo Concert. Rahul will also address a press conference in Dausa that afternoon.

    New Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Congress MLAs from the state will also join Rahul’s yatra on Friday. According to Ramesh, a public meeting will also be held in Alwar on December 19. The Congress government will complete four years of its term in Rajasthan on December 17. A range of programmes will be held from December 17 to December 28 to publicise the achievements of the Gehlot government. The chief minister will also hold a press conference on Saturday to mark the occasion, during which he will present an account of the achievements of his tenure.

    A four-day exhibition will also be organised at Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, in which the work done by all the government departments and their progress will be showcased.  Also on display will be the various public welfare schemes launched by the government, including the Old Pension Scheme and the Chief Minister Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme. There will also be direct communication with the beneficiaries and the ambitious programme to provide smartphones to needy women will finally be launched during these celebrations. 

    JAIPUR:  The Congress is in a celebratory mood in Rajasthan, ahead of two milestones for the party this month the completion of four years of the Ashok Gehlot government in the state as well as 100 days of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Congress will hold a grand celebration in Jaipur on Friday to mark the occasions. Rahul will attend the colourful programme as the chief guest on December 16, the eve of completion of Gehlot’s four years in office. 

    A performance by singer Sunidhi Chauhan will also be a part of the event to be held at Jaipur’s Albert Hall, AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Tuesday. Besides Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, state party in-charge Sukhjinder Randhawa, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasara, all the major state leaders will be present at the programme.

    The event will also mark 100 days of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari on September 7 and has so far covered Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The march will conclude in Jammu and Kashmir in February 2023. 

    “The Yatra will complete 100 days on December 16 and it will be a milestone,’’ Ramesh said at a press conference on Tuesday. The occasion will be observed through a glittering Bharat Jodo Concert. Rahul will also address a press conference in Dausa that afternoon.

    New Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Congress MLAs from the state will also join Rahul’s yatra on Friday. According to Ramesh, a public meeting will also be held in Alwar on December 19. The Congress government will complete four years of its term in Rajasthan on December 17. A range of programmes will be held from December 17 to December 28 to publicise the achievements of the Gehlot government. The chief minister will also hold a press conference on Saturday to mark the occasion, during which he will present an account of the achievements of his tenure.

    A four-day exhibition will also be organised at Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, in which the work done by all the government departments and their progress will be showcased.  Also on display will be the various public welfare schemes launched by the government, including the Old Pension Scheme and the Chief Minister Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme. There will also be direct communication with the beneficiaries and the ambitious programme to provide smartphones to needy women will finally be launched during these celebrations.