Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra was started on Sunday from Thoubal near Imphal, the capital of Manipur, under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi under the auspices of All India Congress Committee.
To participate in this campaign, former Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahay, Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee President Rajesh Thakur and Rural Development Minister of Jharkhand Government Alamgir Alam reached Thoubal, Manipur. The leaders also addressed the gathering present at the program organized in Thoubal on the occasion of the launch of Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra.
Launching the Yatra, Rahul Gandhi came down heavily on the BJP over the recent ethnic clashes in the State that claimed scores of lives. The Congress MP said Manipur is an example of BJP's "politics of hatred" and said, "Maybe for Narendra Modi, BJP and RSS, Manipur is not part of India".
"After 29th June, Manipur wasn't Manipur anymore, it got divided and hatred was spread everywhere, lakhs of people suffered loss. People lost their loved ones in front of their eyes. And till now, the Indian PM has not come here to wipe your tears and hold your hand. It is a shameful thing. Maybe for PM Modi, BJP and RSS, Manipur is not a part of India," the Wayanad MP said.
He added that "Manipur has lost what it holds precious because of BJP's politics" and stated that "governance infrastructure has failed in Manipur, and shameful that PM hasn't visited the state".
"I'm in politics since 2004 and for the first time I visited a place in India where the entire infrastructure of governance has collapsed," the Congress leader said.
"Manipur is a symbol of BJP's politics, Manipur is a symbol of BJP and RSS's hatred. Manipur is a symbol of BJP's viewpoint and ideology," he added and also promised to "bring back harmony and peace for which Manipur was known
"You (people) have lost what you have valued but we will find what you have valued once again and bring it back to you. We understand the pain the people of Manipur have been through. We understand the hurt, the loss and the sadness you have been through. We promise you that we will bring back what you have valued, we will bring back the harmony, the peace, the affection that this state has always been known for," he added.
The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, jointly flagged off by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and RahulGandhi, is being perceived as Congress's bid to set the narrative in the run-up to Lok Sabha elections, barely months away.
It is noteworthy that Congress Party's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which is being taken out before the Lok Sabha elections, will pass through 15 states and 110 districts in 67 days. A distance of approximately 6700 kilometers will be covered during the journey. Most of the journey will be by bus and at some places there will also be walking in some areas.
Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will conclude in Mumbai in the third week of March.
