By Pawan Khera and Manish Khanduri
(With inputs from Gaurav Pandhi)
After the calm and quiet contemplation of the morning, when the yatris celebrated Gandhi Jayanti, the Bharat Jodo Yatris got off to an explosive start in the evening as thousands and thousands of people showed up to a great, festive & vibrant atmosphere.
The padyatra resumed from Sri Kaalibeeramma Temple, Kadakola Industrial Junction and immediately it was apparent from the large crowds and long lines that the #BharatJodoYatra is quickly seizing momentum in Karnataka.
Earlier in the afternoon, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi issued a statement that among other things underlined the core objectives of the yatra, “Just as Gandhiji fought the British Raj we are today embarked on a battle with the very ideology that killed Gandhi”, he stated. Later in the day he visited the Sri Srikanteshwara Swamy Temple in Nanjangud.
We met on the road a very interesting group of people who had met with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi yesterday. Suzane and Aasma are a part of a group of around 12 non party affiliated individuals from Bangalore who are walking with the yatra. In fact they met each other only a few days ago on Facebook when they started exploring the idea of coming down to express support for the yatra. “We knew that there was one man willing to walk for the ideals of India,” they said, “And we thought, why not walk with him?”
Suzane and Aasma are non party affiliated individuals walking with the yatris.
With support like this, it’s clear that the #BharatJodoYatra is making a significant impact with the people.
Later in the evening as it started to rain, Gandhi told a packed crowd at a corner meeting that the #BharatJodoYatra wouldn’t stop for anything. He also thanked the people present that they “came from far away and stood in the rains to listen .. and for that I thank you with all my heart”
Summarising the day was Sachin Rao, Bharat Jodo Yatri, who said that “The walk today is dedicated to the memory of the Mahatma, who taught us to always keep walking, fearless and free”.
India walks with you, Mr Rao.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra is presently in the state of Karnataka. Over the next 21 days in the state, it will cover 511 kilometres.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra is a five month, 3500 kilometre long padyatra from Kanyakumari in the South of India to Srinagar in the North. It is part of the party’s national mass outreach program aimed at highlighting social polarisation, economic inequalities and political centralisation.
End of Day Travel Facts
1. Route traveled/ major settlements: Kadakola Industrial Junction-Bandipalya
2. Current Districts Name – Mysore
3. Gandhi ji visited Mysore twice, in 1927 and 1934. His objective was to gather support for the freedom struggle.
4. After Gandhi ji’s assassination in 1948, Sardar Patel himself laid the foundation stone of the memorial of Mahatama Gandhi at Gandhi Square in Mysuru on 24 February 1949.
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