Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge invited over “21-like minded” parties to participate in the Bharat Jodo Yatra’s final event on January 30, according to a tweet from the party’s general secretary and in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday.
Congress President Shri. Mallikarjun Kharge-ji has written to presidents of 21 like-minded parties inviting them to the concluding function of the #BharatJodoYatra on January 30th. pic.twitter.com/zOGXiDCCAe
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) January 11, 2023
The letter said, “At this time when the Opposition’s voice is being suppressed in the Parliament and the media, the Yatra is connecting directly with lakhs of people. We have discussed the grave issues affecting our nation inflation, unemployment, social divisions, weakening of democratic institutions, and the threat on our borders.”
“From the beginning of the Yatra, we have invited the participation of every like-minded Indian. At the invitation of Shri Rahul Gandhi, MPs of several political parties have also walked in the Yatra at different stages. I now invite you to personally join the concluding function of the Bharat Jodo Yatra to be held in Srinagar on January 30th at noon. The function is dedicated to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi, who lost his life on this day in his tireless struggle against the ideology of hatred and violence,” the letter raid.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused the BJP of promoting fear and hatred in the country, even as he stated that India stood for “brotherhood, unity, and respect” and that is why his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ was “successful”. Before the start of the Punjab portion of the Yatra, Gandhi paid his respects at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib. He went to church wearing a turban and a half-sleeved T-shirt. He later went to the dargah of Rauza Sharif.
The 3750-kilometer route through the states, lead by Rahul Gandhi, has seen the involvement of many like-minded parties and significant people from civil society and showbiz.
Many opposition parties, however, have opted out of the Yatra, highlighting the many-layered splits in the camp a year before the national elections.
Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, Mayawati of the Bahujan Samaj Party, and the Aam Aadmi Party of Delhi Chief Minister stayed away. As the foot march went through Telangana, so did the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi.
Leaders of the National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party will march in Jammu & Kashmir. MY Tarigami of CPI, another Gupkaar Alliance member, will also be present.