Pawan Khera and Manish Khanduri
Large crowds and a spirit of celebration marked the evening session of this day. However, the best gauge of the tremendous impact that the yatra is having came from outside, courtesy the BJP government. The BJP, in continuation of their underhanded methods, used the Enforcement Directorate to summon Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar to Delhi in what is a clear attempt to harass an individual and derail the popular national campaign that the #BharatJodoYatra has become.
We have news for the BJP- they will succeed in doing neither.
However, back to the events around the yatra itself. During the midday rest period, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had an intense interaction with local farmers and the families of farmers who committed suicide. 150 Farmers have died by suicide in this district alone in the past few years. Topics covered included the need to protect farmers by preventing a complete corporate take over of the agricultural sector. Others spoke of how suicides in their families had pushed them to the brink of destitution.
Families of Mandya district farmers recounting their plight to Congress leaders
In his response, Gandhi, among other things, stated that the need to protect and empower farmers was the reason that the Congress had promised the NYAY scheme – where every poor family was guaranteed ₹72,000 per year as fixed income.
At a press conference in the afternoon, Member of Parliament, Randeep Surjewala described how the presence of Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the morning had so inspired the thousands of Congress cadres, that “to watch them walk with so much energy and passion for more than 10 kilometres in the searing heat was in itself an amazing sight.”
As the yatris continued the walk we met on the way a number of amazing and diverse participants. These included Akkai Padmashali, the well known transgender activist, and also recipient of the second highest civilian honour of Karnataka, who spoke of her desire to support and participate in the yatra.
Akkai Padmashali (centre) transgender activist, came to offer support to the #BharatJodoYatra
At a corner meeting at the end of the day at Brahmha Devara Halli Village, Gandhi stated that “Just like anybody who divides a family is working against the family, anybody who divides a country, spreads hatred in the country, is also working against the country.” He added “And that is the idea behind the Bharat Jodo Yatra, we will not tolerate hatred and violence being spread in this great country of ours.”
The Bharat Jodo Yatra is presently in the state of Karnataka. Over 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. Current District Name -Mandya
2. Mandya city is one of the highest exporters of sugar and is known as the Sugarcane City.
3. Karnataka is the seventh largest state in India. Its major rivers are Cauvery, Tungabhadra and Krishna.
4. Earlier known as “The State of Mysore”, it was formed on 1 November 1956, after the State Re-organisation Act of 1956
5. Karnataka is the fastest-growing economy in India.
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