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Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra launch HIGHLIGHTS | Millions feel need to take action that brings India together: Rahul

The Congress party will bring up price rise, unemployment, and polarisation through the five month long yatra from Kanyakumari to Srinagar that traverses through 12 states.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi holds the tricolour as the party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' commences from Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu on September 7, 2022. (Photo | V Karthik Alagu, EPS)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi holds the tricolour as the party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' commences from Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu on September 7, 2022. (Photo | V Karthik Alagu, EPS)
TNIE online desk

Aiming to revive its political fortunes, the Congress kickstarted the 3,500 km long ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday evening on issues related to price rise, unemployment, and polarisation.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister handed over the tricolour made of khadi to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who had reached Kanyakumari in the afternoon.

Gandhi then handed it over to Seva Dal workers who will now manage the Yatra throughout.

The march is being held at a time when the party is facing internal strife ahead of the party’s presidential elections scheduled for Oct 17.

The 3,570-km yatra from Kanyakumari to Srinagar, covering 12 states and two Union territories in about five months will actually begin at 7 am on September 8 when Gandhi and several other Congress leaders will embark on the march.

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi took part in a prayer meeting at former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s memorial in Sriperumbudur today morning. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in a suicide bombing in Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991.

FOLLOW HIGHLIGHTS HERE

Rahul Gandhi to sleep in container for next 150 days

Sleeping beds, toilets and air-conditioners are also installed in some of the containers. (ANI)

Country can plunge into civil war if hate allowed to spread: Ashok Gehlot

"We have been requesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi that you should appeal that there be love, brotherhood and harmony among people and violence will not be tolerated. He has not done so till now. There is so much polarisation, hate has been created in the name of caste and religion. If this is not controlled, it can go towards civil war," Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said at a press conference in Kanyakumari. (PTI)

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. (File Photo | PTI)
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. (File Photo | PTI)

Tiranga is not just three colours and a chakra on a piece of cloth, it's much more than that: Rahul in Kanyakumari

Our tricolour guarantees right to practice any religion of choice, but today this flag is under attack: Rahul Gandhi at Kanyakumari rally.

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Bharat Jodo Yatra is India's second freedom struggle: Chidambaram

Congress senior leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram while addressing the rally near the Gandhi Mandapam said: "I wish to tell those criticising our Bharat Jodo Yatra that you had no role in India's freedom struggle during which Mahatma Gandhi gave the slogan: do or die. Now too, you will have no role. Our journey will not end till the divisive forces are defeated," Chidambaram said. (PTI)

Rahul begins speech

What is happening in the country that so many people, millions and millions of people feel that there is a need to take an action that brings India together?: Rahul Gandhi at Yatra launch rally.

'Yatra can achieve both Bharat Jodo and Congress Jodo': Shashi Tharoor on party's leadership crisis

The Congress' ambitious 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Kanyakumari to Kashmir can also achieve the objective of "Congress Jodo" and help in its revival, senior leader Shashi Tharoor said on Tuesday.

'Bharat Jodo Yatra' is officially flagged off

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister hand over the tricolour to Rahul Gandhi.

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel hand over the national flag to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the launch of nationwide 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', in Kanyakumari. (Photo | CMO Tamil Nadu Twitter)
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel hand over the national flag to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the launch of nationwide 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', in Kanyakumari. (Photo | CMO Tamil Nadu Twitter)

5 pm: Rahul, other Congress leaders begin 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (centre) with other party leaders in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu for the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. (Photo | INC Twitter)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (centre) with other party leaders in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu for the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. (Photo | INC Twitter)

Civil society members urge people to support 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'

  • More than 200 civil society members have appealed to the people to support the Congress' upcoming 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' and similar initiatives.

  • Swaraj India founder Yogendra Yadav, document filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, All India Secular Front's Anil Sadgopal, rights activist Anjali Bharadwaj, theatre maker Anuradha Kapur, eminent journalist Mrinal Pande, former MP Dharamveer Gandhi and former IAS officers Abhijit Sengupta and Sujata Rao are among the 204 civil society members who signed to the appeal.

  • The objective of the march is to "stir the conscience of the people in times when the constitutional values and democratic norms are being brazenly undermined" and the very idea of India has come under a "systematic assault", the civil society members said in a statement. (PTI)

    • Congress supporters await Rahul Gandhi at the venue in Kanyakumari. (Photo | Karthik Alagu, EPS)
    Congress supporters await Rahul Gandhi at the venue in Kanyakumari. (Photo | Karthik Alagu, EPS)

    The Yatra route

  • The march, covering 12 states and two Union Territories in about five months, will be formally launched at the rally, will actually begin at 7 am on Thursday when Gandhi and other Congress leaders will embark on the march.

  • At 7 am Thursday, 10 km foot marches will be held at the block level.

  • After reaching Kerala on September 11, the Yatra will traverse through the state for the next 18 days, reaching Karnataka on September 30.

  • It will be in Karnataka for 21 days before moving north.

  • It will pass through Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Nilambur, Mysuru, Bellary, Raichur, Vikarabad, Nanded, Jalgaon, Indore, Kota, Dausa, Alwar, Bulandshahr, Delhi, Ambala, Pathankot, Jammu, and end in Srinagar.

    • 'With all paths blocked, Congress now has to go to the people and tell them the truth': Rahul

    Rahul Gandhi on Sunday at the 'Mehngai Par Halla Bol Rally' said: "The government has blocked all paths for us. Congress leaders, opposition and people cannot make speeches in Parliament. Our mic is put off. We want to talk about China's attack but can't. We want to talk about unemployment and inflation but can't."

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. (Photo | PTI)
    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. (Photo | PTI)

    ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’: Congress all set for mega mass contact rally

  • With the launch of the Yatra on Wednesday, the Congress is seeking to flag economic disparities, social polarisation and political centralisation, while attempting to make gains in what it often described as battle of ideologies.

  • The Congress presidential elections will be held amidst the march and the party said that it will ensure that there will be flexibility to vote for eligible electors taking part in the march.

  • Party president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who are still abroad, are expected to join the march as it progresses. Sonia Gandhi's mother had passed away recently in Italy.

  • The march will move in two batches, from 7 am to 10:30 am and from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm. While the morning session will include fewer participants, the evening session will see mass mobilisation.

  • The participants plan to walk around 22 to 23 km daily.

  • Those participating in the yatra have been classified as "Bharat Yatris", "Atithi Yatras", "Pradesh Yatris" and "Volunteer Yatris".

  • The tagline of the yatra is "Mile Kadam, Jude Watan".

    • 'Lost my father to politics of hate, but will not lose country to it': Rahul after paying tributes to father

    Rahul pays tributes to father

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday paid floral tributes to his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at the latter's memorial in Sriperumbudur near Chennai, ahead of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in a suicide bombing in Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991.

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at a prayer meet at former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s memorial in Sriperumbudur today morning. (Photo | Ashwin Prasath, EPS)
    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at a prayer meet at former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s memorial in Sriperumbudur today morning. (Photo | Ashwin Prasath, EPS)

    Kanyakumari readies for rally

    The coastal town of Kanyakumari was buzzing with activity as Congress workers geared up for the launch of the "Bharat Jodo Yatra" this evening, which the party is touting as its biggest mass contact programme since Independence and a "turning point" in India's political history.

    (Photo | PTI)
    (Photo | PTI)
    Rahul Gandhi
    Kanyakumari
    M K Stalin
    Sriperumbudur
    Congress yatra
    Bharat Jodo Yatra

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