By Pawan Khera and Manish Khanduri
(With inputs from Gaurav Pandhi)
In a freewheeling press conference at the Adlux International Convention Center, Angamaly, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi today thanked Kerala for the incredible response the state and its people are giving to the #BharatJodoYatra. “Kerala has been an overwhelming success” he declared.
Gandhi also elaborated the key ideas behind the yatra which were driving its success, “An India which is not at war with itself, devastating unemployment and skyrocketing prices.”
When asked if he was confident that the yatra would replicate the success it is so far having, he stated that “It will not matter which state we go to, the effect of the yatra will be the same…because in every state the problems are the same.. the people of India,particularly the youth, are feeling the strain.”
Finally, when asked about the forthcoming Congress President elections, he stated that whoever became Congress president should remember that they “represent a set of ideas, a belief system and a vision of India.”
To the Bharat Jodo Yatris it is clear from the feedback on the ground that the Congress vision for this yatra has significant support. Says Chauleshwar Chandrakar, Bharat Yatri, “One is overwhelmed at love and support from the common people, feels like a classic example of the concept of Atithi Deva Bhava.”
After the midday rest at Angamaly, the padyatra resumed in the evening from Chirangara bus stop and ended around 8 kilometres later at the Chalakudy Municipal Town Hall Building.This evening they were accompanied by Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot. This evening saw massive crowds from start to finish, as is now usually the case.
We met Siddin (25), who works at a local store. Siddin doesn’t support any party particularly but says that unemployment was a burning issue. He was excited to know that Congress leaders and cadres were walking 3500km to highlight the challenges of unemployment & inflation.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra is presently in the state of Kerala. Over 19 days in the state, it will cover 7 districts over 450 kilometres, before it commences in Karnataka on October 1.
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: Parambayam- Angamaly -Chalakudy
2. Naythode near Angamaly is the birth place of G. Sankara Kurup, recognised as great of Malayalam poetry, and the first recipient of the Jnanpith award.
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