Congress invites 21 ‘like-minded’ parties to Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday invited 21 key non-NDA parties to join the culmination of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar on January 30, in an effort to expand the march’s grand finale to an Opposition show of strength.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday invited 21 key non-NDA parties to join the culmination of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar on January 30, in an effort to expand the march’s grand finale to an Opposition show of strength.
“At this event, we will commit ourselves to fighting hatred and violence, to spread the message of truth, compassion and non-violence and defend the constitutional values of liberty, equality, fraternity and justice for all. At this time of crisis of our country, where public attention is systematically diverted from people’s issues, the Yatra has emerged as a powerful voice. I hope you will participate and further strengthen its message,” Kharge wrote to the Opposition party chiefs.
According to a senior Congress strategist, all like-minded parties including Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Admi Party and the Bharat Rashtriya Samithi (formerly TRS) have been invited to attend the Yatra in Srinagar.
“Five political parties, however, have not been invited for the Yatra in Srinagar. These are: AIDMK, YSRCP, BJD, AIMIM and AIUDF. These parties have been staunch opponents of the Congress and have a tacit understanding with the BJP. We do not consider them as like-minded parties,” said the strategist.
Former Congress veteran and leader of the new political outfit Democratic Azad Party, Ghulam Nabi Azad, has not been invited even as three other former chief ministers of J&K—Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah—have been invited and have confirmed their attendance.
A Congress leader added that “Azad’s outfit has no significance. 17 senior leaders of his outfit have returned to the Congress. We haven’t seen any reason to invite him for the event.”
In his letter, Kharge said, “From the beginning of the Yatra, we have invited the participation of every like-minded Indians. At the invitation of Shri Rahul Gandhi, MPs of several political parties have also walked in the Yatra at different stages,” Kharge said in the letter, “I now invite you to personally join the concluding function of the Bharat Jodo Yatra to be held in Srinagar on January 30th at noon.”
The Congress president reminded that “Today, India faces economic, social and political crisis” and at that time, “the Yatra is connecting directly to lakhs of people”.
“We have discussed grave issues affecting our nation—inflation, unemployment, social divisions, weakening of democratic institutions and the threat on our boders. All sections of the society have participated and shared their problems... this direct conversation with the people has been a major achievement of the Yatra,” Kharge said.
In the final event in Srinagar, which will be dedicated in the memory of Mahatma Gandhi, “we will commit ourselves to fighting hatred and violence” to spread the message of truth, compassion and non-viloence, and to defend the constitutional values of liberty, equality, fraternity and justice for all, the letter said.
As the Yatra will end this month, Congress leaders added that the second phase of the Bharat Jodo Yatra is being planned connecting eastern Indian states with the western region.
The schedule is yet to be finalised but a party leader said that two windows are being looked at—pre-monsoon months starting from March and the post-monsoon period of September onwards.
“The east-west Yatra should happen this year before the Lok Sabha elections of 2024. The schedule will be discussed and finalised after the current Bharat Jodo Yatra ends on January 30,” said the leader.
“We have to avoid the monsoon for the padyatra. So, we have two options—in March and in September,” he added.
