AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Congress launched a 'Nyay Yatra' in the state on Friday, starting from Morbi in Saurashtra. The two-week march is expected to see the participation of key Congress figures including Leader of Opposition in Parliament Rahul Gandhi, senior leader Priyanka Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge.
The yatra aims to bring justice to victims of recent calamities in Gujarat including the Morbi bridge collapse, the Takshashila fire, the TRP Game Zone blaze that claimed 27 lives in May and the Vadodara Harani boat tragedy.
The yatra will pass through Rajkot before heading to Surendranagar on August 13. The campaign is also designed to spotlight issues of corruption, bootlegging and the proliferation of counterfeit officials within the state, said the party.
Gujarat Congress chief Gohil said, "This march underscores the series of catastrophic events that have plagued the state and the nation over the past two years. Through this initiative, the Congress aims to secure justice for the affected families and tackle the issues confronting Gujarat under the current administration."
Former Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel has criticized the Congress, claiming that the yatra seems intended to disrupt the state's peace.
Patel said, "Law and order are currently well-maintained in the state. The Congress's Nyay Yatra appears designed to disrupt the state's peace. In my opinion, organizing a rally at this time is unnecessary. The Congress's rally lacks relevance, as both the government and the High Court have already addressed the issues in question. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is also closely monitoring the situation."
He added, "It is inappropriate for Congress to stage this rally by revisiting old incidents. The party often seeks to leverage political opportunities, and there are numerous issues on which Congress could engage with the public. This rally appears to be an attempt to elicit sympathy from those affected."
Political analysts believe the yatra is designed to harness the enthusiasm of Congress workers following Rahul Gandhi's assertion in the Lok Sabha that the party would aim for victory in the 2027 Gujarat Assembly polls.