Bharat Jodo Diary (End of Day)
By Pawan Khera and Manish Khanduri
(With inputs from Gaurav Pandhi)
Massive Turnout And Crowd Participation Highlights Of Day 8 Of Bharat Jodo Yatra
14 September 2022: The Indian National Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra today completed the 8th day of its journey, arriving in the evening at Pallimukku Junction. On this day, the yatra also completed the journey through Thiruvananthapuram district, entering and beginning its passage through Kollam district.
Earlier the yatris took their midday halt at the Empire convention centre at Chathannoor, Kollam. Post the halt, the padyatra resumed from Thirumukku Jn, Chathannoor.
The yatra attracted crowds in record numbers, with the line extending more than a kilometre, not including the large number who’d lined the streets! This massive crowd was a prime example of the popularity of the yatra, and the dissatisfaction among the people with the BJP’s divisive social and economic policies
Earlier during the afternoon break Congress party MP Rahul Gandhi engaged and interacted with students from Kollam district. In one of the many highlights, Lakshmanraj, 12th standard, SN Trust Higher Secondary School performed an impromptu traditional dance for the audience!
Party General Secretary and Member of Parliament Jairam Ramesh highlighted how the success of the yatra was demoralising Congress Opponents. “BJP is nervous” he said, “A daily dose of diversion & disinformation is handed out to undermine the Yatra. We remain undeterred. We will overcome these dirty tricks of the BJP”
At a corner meeting at Madannada, Gandhi thanked everyone who had accompanied him on the yatra and praised the state of Kerala for its contributions to the nation. He stated that the BJP and the RSS were destroying the true strength of India- respect for the other person’s ideas.
We met Nahas Khan Noshad, 29, from Pallimukku who was in complete agreement with Gandhi’s ideas. Owner of a small software tech business he supported #BharatJodoYatra saying the country needs such an initiative to bring everyone together and lead us on a progressive path.
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.