By Pawan Khera and Manish Khanduri
Hello Andhra Pradesh!
It was a grand start to the #BharatJodoYatra on its first day in Andhra Pradesh. There was a large turnout as the Yatris started their morning walk at Halaharvi, with the streets overflowing with excited watchers and participants. Present to receive the Yatris were state president Sake Sailajanath and other senior state leaders.
The weather turned hotter as the morning passed, and by midday temperatures had soared. However, the Yatris were undaunted, arriving at their midday resting place of Hathi Belgal at around 10 am; not the least because of the enthusiastic crowd support. We met in Halaharvi town Annaji, Basavanagudi, Sitharaman and Keshav who had come a long way to see the yatris and catch a glimpse of the Congress leaders.
Annaji, Basavanagudi, Sitharaman and Keshav who had come a long way to see the yatris
Also on the road, walking alongside activist and politician Yogendra Yadav, we met the inspirational Kenchappa, a small farmer who had come all the way from Dharwad, Hubli. Inspired by the Yatra’s vision, Kenchappa, 68, had come on his own accord and intends to walk alongside us “till the very end.”
Kenchappa, 68, (2nd from left) had come to the yatra on his own accord and intends to walk alongside “till the very end.”
Our hats off to you, sir.
Speaking at a press conference during the midday period, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, said “that the (current) segment of the Yatra is the most important for the Congress.” He added “This Yatra will be the signal for the revival of the Congress in Andhra Pradesh.”
In the afternoon, there are planned interactions with local farmers on land-related issues.
In passing we’d like to thank Karnataka PCC, leadership, Congress cadres, and every single person who came to participate in the Yatra. It was a momentous journey through the state, with large public participation. Its success may be measured via multiple metrics; not the least, the panicky attempts of the state and central governments to use false narratives to undermine it.
But the Yatra continues.
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 – Kurnool
2. The struggle for liberation against the Britishers in Kurnool goes back to the 1800s. Leaders like Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy, Muthukukr Gowdappa and Nawab Rasool Khan, the last Nawab of Kurnool fought against the British East India Company
3. The district is known for the Kurnool Circular issued by the Kurnool District Congress Committee during the Quit India Movement, 1942. Since leadership was preemptively arrested by the British. the Kurnool circular served as a guiding pathway for the people during the movement.
4. Kurnool city, the district headquarters, is referred to as the Gateway of Rayalaseema.