The Bharat Jodo Yatra of the Congress culminated at the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) headquarters in the Lal Chowk area in Srinagar with unfurling the national flag after traversing 12 states and two Union territories in over 140 days after its launch on September 7 last year, clocking over 4,000 km. During the course of the yatra, Rahul Gandhi addressed 12 public meetings, over 100 corner meetings, 13 press conferences. He had over 275 planned walking interactions and more than 100 sitting interactions. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the aim of his Bharat Jodo Yatra was to save the liberal and secular ethos of the country which, he claimed, was facing an assault from the BJP and the RSS.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the yatra was not for winning elections but to counter the hate spread by the BJP and the RSS in the country.
Bharat Jodo Yatra: The closing ceremony of the yatra, which is led by Rahul Gandhi, was held in Srinagar today.
I learned a lot. One day, I was in a lot of pain. I thought I've to walk for 6-7 hrs more & it'll be difficult. But a young girl came running to me & said that she has written something for me. She hugged me & ran away. I started reading it, says Rahul Gandhi.
She wrote, “I can see your knee is hurting because when you put pressure on that leg, it shows on your face. I can't walk with you but I'm walking beside you from my heart because I know you're walking for me & my future. Right at that moment, my pain vanished: Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi addresses crowd at Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium
“Rahul, you said you've come to Kashmir your home. It's your home. I hope what the Godse ideology snatched from J&K, from this nation will be restored. Gandhi ji said he can see a ray of hope in J&K. Today, nation can see a ray of hope in Rahul Gandhi,” says Mehbooba Mufti in Srinagar.
“It has been a very successful yatra. Nation needed this. It has proven that there are people who like BJP and there are people who want a new Govt except BJP, who want harmony and want to live in peace and love with each other -something which the BJP can't give,” says Omar Abdullah in Srinagar.
Kharge had extended invitations to the presidents of over 20 parties, including Trinamool Congress (TMC), Janata Dal (United), Shiv Sena, Telugu Desam Party, National Conference (NC), Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nationalist Congress Party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Rashtriya Lok Dal, Indian Union Muslim League, Revolutionary Socialist Party and Janata Dal (Secular).
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will unfurl the national flag at the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters. He will also unveil a memorial for the Bharat Jodo Yatra. A rally at the Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium would take place after that.
During the course of the yatra, Rahul Gandhi addressed 12 public meetings, over 100 corner meetings, 13 press conferences during the course of the yatra. He had over 275 planned walking interactions and more than 100 sitting interactions.
The closing ceremony of Bharat Jodo Yatra will be held in Srinagar today. The yatra, travelled through 12 states and two Union territories, would officially conclude on today with a function at the state Congress headquarters followed by a rally at the Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium.
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The Bharat Jodo Yatra went from south to north but it has had a countrywide effect, Gandhi said, asserting the march have an alternative vision to the country. Rahul Gandhi also said he would think about whether a west to east yatra can be undertaken in future.
