Pawan Khera and Manish Khanduri
An amazing feature of this #BharatJodoYatra is its diversity. And yet some things are strikingly common to all who participate, regardless of their social, economic, geographical or caste background.
If lawyer Prashant Bhushan, a noted Delhi based lawyer known to millions, walked with us today; so did Motibai who comes from a rural background in the South, and is probably not known to many outside her family and village grouping.
But they walked with the same conviction and the same ideals. Speaking of his experience, on the 60th day of the Yatra, Bhushan tweeted that he “Participated in the Bharat Jodo Yatra today because I feel that it has the potential of positively changing the atmosphere of Hate which is being created by the BJP & its associates.”
On the road we met Motibai who comes from a radically different background, has the same ideas as Bhushan. She had come with her grandchild because she felt that she had to “Protest against those who were dividing the country on the basis of religion or caste.”
Motibai (centre, holding flag) feels that she had to “Protest against those who were dividing the country on the basis of religion or caste.”
Indeed the fight against divisiveness is one of the core ideas behind this Yatra, one that has been emphasised time and again by all Congress leaders. We are just here to see that the message is resonating with others also. And not just with one social, religious or economic group.
In the afternoon Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had an interaction with representatives of the SC, ST, and OBC communities. Speaking of the interaction MP Jairam Ramesh said that it revealed a Rahul Gandhi “Who’s extremely well read on the works of Mahatma Phule and Dr. Ambedkar. He engaged Dalit, Adivasi and OBC groups in a most serious manner…..they interacted on a variety of issues ……It was as good as any serious sociology session.”
Bijendra Raje, Yatri, summarises the day well when he said that “Elite or disadvantaged, wealthy or poor, highly educated or a primary school pass, from urban or rural backgrounds, I am seeing an amazing range of people in this Yatra.”
Bijendra Raje, Yatri, (centre and back) says that he is seeing “an amazing range of people in this Yatra”.
This evening the Yatris walked from Nizampet Village, Narayankhed to Massanpally Cross. They also crossed over from Medak to Kamareddy district.
Currently in the state of Telangana, the Bharat Jodo Yatra is a five month, 3500 kilometre long Padyatra from Kanyakumari in the South of India to Kashmir up in the North. It is part of the party’s national mass outreach program aimed at highlighting social polarisation, economic inequalities and political centralisation.
Ground research: Aparna Ashwarya (INC Communications Department research team)
End of Day Travel Facts:
1. Current Districts Name: Medak, Kamareddy
2. Telangana’s largest poultry farms are in Kamareddy rural and urban areas.
3. Kamareddy district is home to Nizam Sagar Dam, constructed in 1923 and the oldest in the state.
4. Medak district has several centres of tourist interest including the Narsapur forest, which is home to a variety of trees, and many lakes; and supports wildlife.
5. Medak Fort and Alladurg Temple are also major tourist destinations.
6. Some traces of Neolithic and Megalithic culture as well as rock art paintings are found in Medak district.
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