Want to bring peace back to Manipur, says Rahul Gandhi
What's the story
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, on Monday, said that his party wants to bring peace back to strife-torn Manipur. Addressing a gathering on day 2 of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, he said: "We decided that the most powerful thing would be to start the yatra from Manipur so that the people of India could know what the people of Manipur have been through."
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Watch: Gandhi speaking at Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra
Last year, we did a yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, and the idea was to bring people of India together.
— Congress (@INCIndia) January 15, 2024
We wanted to do another yatra from east to west, and we decided that the most powerful thing would be to start the yatra from Manipur so that the people of India could get… pic.twitter.com/wwF6WdaWpv
Details
Gandhi assured Manipur people of 'justice'
Kick-starting the second day of the yatra from Sekmai in Manipur's Imphal, Gandhi interacted with several residents of Manipur and assured them of "justice". Gandhi also walked for some distance meeting people and enquiring about their problems. Several women and children had lined up along the yatra route and cheered on Gandhi as his bus made its way along several busy areas.
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Jairam Ramesh's statement on Day 2 of yatra
Day 2 of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra began bright and early at 7:30am with the traditional flag hoisting by Seva Dal at the campsite. PCC President of Manipur @meghachandra_k hoisted the flag. The yatra will move from Sekmai to Kangpokpi and then Senapati in Manipur before finally… pic.twitter.com/Mnu8Xy5LmX
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) January 15, 2024
Day 1
Gandhi targeted PM Modi, BJP on day 1
On Sunday, the inaugural day of the yatra, Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly "ignoring the miseries of people" and indulging in "deception" in the name of religion for votes. He rolled out the 66-day march from an iconic war memorial in Manipur with a promise that he would listen to their "Mann ki Baat".
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Watch: Visuals of Gandhi meeting locals in Imphal
VIDEO | Congress MP @RahulGandhi meets locals in Imphal on day 2 of his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra'.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 15, 2024
The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which was flagged off yesterday, will pass through 100 Lok Sabha constituencies in 15 states. pic.twitter.com/elYrakBePL
Reaction
Congress's nyay yatra a 'hoax': BJP's Anurag Thakur
Meanwhile, BJP leader and Union minister Anurag Thakur on Sunday described Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra as a "hoax". He said its senior leaders were not getting justice and joining other outfits. Thakur referred to the exit of leaders such as Kapil Sibal, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Hardik Patel, Jyotiraditya Scindia, RPN Singh and Sunil Jakhar from the grand old party.
About
Know about Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra
This yatra comes a year after Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra and will be critical for Congress ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The yatra will traverse 6,713km and be reportedly undertaken in buses and partly on foot. It will cover 110 districts, 100 Lok Sabha seats, and 337 Assembly segments in 67 days before concluding in Maharashtra's Mumbai on March 20 or 21.
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Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra Day 1 update
Day 1 in Manipur brought us overwhelming love.
— Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (@bharatjodo) January 15, 2024
Looking forward to another day of meeting, interacting and listening to the people of this beautiful state.#BharatJodoNyayYatra pic.twitter.com/ikMByqjrjb
History
Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra
Gandhi kickstarted the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari in September 2022. It ended in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar in January 2023. The yatra covered a distance of more than 4,000km in about 150 days and passed through 12 states. The yatra's goal was to unite the country by encouraging Indians to come together against the alleged social, economic, and political issues.