By Pawan Khera and Manish Khanduri
The sixty first day of the #BharatJodoYatra was also the last day’s morning walk for the Yatris in Telangana, and buoyed by their experiences every single day in this great state the walkers covered the distance from Fathlapur Bus stand to their midday break at Shekhapur in seemingly no time.
For Yatri Kathi Karthika Goud, who’s from the state, it was a memorable, perhaps bitter sweet experience. She was a little sad to be leaving her state. But this morning’s experience made up for it. “I decided to walk near the Telangana border today with my 15 year old son, who’s a big fan of Rahul anna.” And it so turned out that her son had the opportunity to walk for a while with Rahul anna, aka Congress MP Rahul Gandhi! From all accounts it was a lively discussion around the school syllabus.
Yatri Kathi Karrthika Goud was excited that her son got to walk with Rahul Gandhi today
During the morning session we were accompanied by representatives of the Daystar India Trust who spoke of HIV prevalence in children in specific to Jukkal area through which the Yatra is passing, and a group of singers and writers walking to support the Yatra.
In the evening Gandhi will address a public meeting at Menoor, Kamareddy, his last in the Telangana leg of the Yatra.
In the evening the Yatris will cross over to the state of Maharastra for their night halt at Chidravar Mill, Degloor, Nanded. Post the corner meeting this evening, the last in Telangana, there is a lengthy and exciting welcome session planned by the Maharastra state team that includes flaming torches/ mashaals and it should be something to see!
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)
Midday Travel Facts
1. Current District Name: Kamareddy
2. The district of Kamareddy is popularly known as the “Rice Bowl of Telangana”
3. Telangana’s largest poultry farms are in Kamareddy rural and urban areas
4. Kamareddy district is home to Nizam Sagar Dam, constructed in 1923 and the oldest in the state.