large crowd of followers as well as common man turned out of their houses spontaneously on Thursday to pay homage to Congress leaders killed in May 25 Jeeram Valley Maoist attack as the ‘Balidani Maati Kalash Yatra’ reached Bastar divisional headquarters Jagdalpur.
Notably, Balidani Mati Kalash Yatra is being taken out by Congress to facilitate people pay tribute to Congress leaders including former Union Minister Vidya Charan Shukla, then sitting Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee president Nandkumar Patel, his son Umesh Patel, former Minister Mahendra Karma, former MlA Udai Mudliyar, Gopi Madhwani and others among 30 killed in Maoist attack on the Congress convoy at Jeeram Valley near Darbha on May 25 last.
To express solidarity with late Karma’s family members and to pay tribute to the Martyr leaders large crowd turned out as the Balidani Mati Kalash Yatra, after finishing visit of Sukma, reached Pandripani via Keshlur.
Malkit Singh Gaindu, who narrowly escaped death in the attack on Congress convoy, and his supporters accorded warm reception to the Yatra at the Jayaswal Motor Premises, the entry point of the city. Besides, the Yatra was also accorded warm welcome at 15 places in the city including Madiya Sarai, Guru Govind Singh Chowk, Congress Bhawan, High School Chowk, Chandani Chowk, Shahid Park, Kothari Market, Pankaj Printers, Gole Bazaar, Sirhashar Chowk and Raja Rudrapratapdeo Town Hall where it turned in to a public meeting.
During the Jagdalpur visit of the Balidani Mati Kalash Yatra, CGPCC programme coordinator Bhupesh Baghel, Bastar lok sabha Constituency in-charge Rajesh Tiwari, Bastar Rural president lakheshwar Baghel, Urban president Manohar lunia, Satpal Sharma, Rekhchand Jain, Umashankar Shukla, Malkit Singh Gaindu, Deepak Karma, Devati Karma and others addressed the mini meetings organised at several places in the city.