New Delhi: The Congress is taking out the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra as the government did not give it a chance to raise people's issues in Parliament and the initiative is aimed at re-establishing the principles of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity enshrined in the Constitution, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge said on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference during which he unveiled the logo of the Manipur-Mumbai yatra that will be led by Rahul Gandhi, Kharge attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting violence-hit Manipur, saying he has time for photo shoots at beaches and at places where temples are being constructed but does not have time for the sufferings of the northeastern state.
He also accused the BJP government of misusing agencies like the ED, the CBI and the Income Tax Department to threaten opposition leaders and said Home Minister Amit Shah is running "a big dry clean factory where every tainted leader comes out clean, pure white" after joining the ruling party.
"Unfortunate incidents took place in Manipur but Prime Minister Modi has time for photo shoots of swimming at the beach, in places where temples are being constructed, in Kerala, from everywhere you can see his photo. But why did this 'mahapurush' not go to Manipur where people are dying, women are being raped, and people are dying of cold. Is it not part of the country?" Kharge asked.
"You go to Lakshadweep, why can't you go and talk to the people in Manipur? The PM said he is enough for the opposition, but then he should go to Manipur...talk to the people there," the Congress chief said, flanked by party general secretaries Jairam Ramesh and K C Venugopal.
So that is why the yatra is aimed at creating public awareness about issues, he said.
"We tried to raise issues in Parliament but the government did not allow us to do it. As many as 146 opposition MPs were suspended for the first time in India's history. The issues 28 parties wanted to raise, they were not allowed to do so. The PM did not come to Parliament (to listen to us) and the session was over. We are going to tell the people about the issues," he said.
"We will also hear out the problems of the people. This platform is not just to convey our point of view but to listen to people's problems as well," he said.
Kharge slammed the government for bringing new labour laws and criminal laws and said that bringing such legislation was sign of a dictatorship.
"This Yatra is aimed at saving and re-establishing the four pillars mentioned in the preamble of the constitution -- justice, liberty, equality and fraternity," Kharge asserted.
Rahul Gandhi has taken a big step by undertaking this yatra and the whole party is with him in this fight, the party chief said.
In a post on X, Gandhi said, "We are coming back among our own people, against injustice and arrogance – by raising the slogan of justice. I pledge that on this path of truth, the journey will continue until we get the right to justice." Kharge said INDIA bloc leaders and members of the civil society have also been invited to join the march along its route.
Asked about electoral benefits, Kharge said the party's task is to get justice for the people and for that, it does not need to count seats.
"We have to make people aware of what the government is doing, giving vote or not depends on the people. We are going to share the pain of the people," he said.
Kharge asserted that through the yatra, the party will raise basic social, political and economic issues of the people. He said issues such as economic inequalities, caste census, unemployment and farmers' problems will be discussed during the yatra.
The Congress president also released the logo and the slogan, 'Nyay Ka Haq, Milne Tak' of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
Alleging that the BJP government was intimidating the opposition leaders by misusing agencies like the ED, the CBI and the Income Tax Department, Kharge said the government was trying to arm-twist people to toe their line.
Taking a dig at Union Home Minister Shah for inducting people whom the BJP had dubbed corrupt earlier, Kharge said there is a "big dry clean factory with Shah, where every tainted leader comes out clean, pure white".
The same leaders who are supposed to be tainted when in the Congress, turn clean once they join the BJP, he alleged.
In a post on X, Ramesh claimed that most of the people of the country are frustrated and disappointed.
"There is a famine of jobs. Farmers' income did not double. Inflation and inequality are at their peak. Injustice is being done to the public. Against this injustice Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is going to start from Manipur to Mumbai under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi," he said.
"All of you must join the Yatra to raise your voice for justice in favour of youth, farmers, women, Dalits, tribals and backward people," Ramesh said.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "Justice to every victim, rights to every deprived. From Manipur to Mumbai from 14th January Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, until we get justice." The yatra, which will begin on January 14, will cover 6,713 km and its participants will travel on buses and foot.
The yatra being organised ahead of the 2024 general elections will cover 110 districts, 100 Lok Sabha seats and 337 assembly segments in 66 days.
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