Rahul Gandhi MP began the Kerala phase of his Bharat Jodo Yatra on Sunday morning from Kaliyikkavila, the border town with Tamil Nadu.
Thousands had lined up along the highway to greet the young leader and his associates as he commenced the walkathon on Sunday morning.
K Sudhakaran, president, KPCC, V D Satheeshan, Leader of Opposition, and other Congress stalwarts were in attendance as Rahul Gandhi led the team of Yatris through the national highway.
He interacted with the people who had turned out in large numbers. Instead of making public speeches, he opted to communicate with the groups about the significance of the Yatra.
“I do not have any ill will towards anybody. This is a Yatra to drive home the point that we are all one despite the differences in culture and language,” he told the gatherings.
Rahul Gandhi had discussions with weavers of Balaramapuram, the village known for its quality handwoven textile products. Similarly artisans and craftsmen had gathered to meet the young leader to brief him about their woes.
The first phase of Sunday’s walkathon concluded at Madhavi Mandiram, the ancestral home of freedom fighter late G Ramachandran.
Mahatma Gandhi had stayed in this house during his visit to this part of the country in 1932 and since then it is being considered as a shrine by Congressmen.
On Monday, Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to meet leaders of the Latin Catholic Church who have declared an indefinite agitation against the construction of the International Container Terminal at Vizhinjam near Thiruvananthapuram.
The construction of the port being built by Adani Group has come to a standstill for more than a month following the agitation by the Church which allege that the award of the works to the corporate group was in violation of human rights as well as civil rights.
“The livelihood of the fishermen community along the coastal belt is in peril because of this port and we will not allow the construction of this port,” said Susai Pakyam, former arch bishop of Thiruvananthapuram Diocese.