“Massive Booster Dose For Congress”: Jairam Ramesh Remembers Historic Yatra

Marking the second anniversary of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh hailed the 145-day journey led by Rahul Gandhi as a turning point for the party and the country’s politics. The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which spanned over 3,500 kilometres, took Rahul Gandhi and over 200 Bharat Yatris from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. This transformative yatra, which Ramesh described as a “massive booster dose for the Indian National Congress,” is credited with rekindling grassroots connections and heralding a new political direction for the Congress party.

Jairam Ramesh highlighted the unprecedented impact the yatra had on the political landscape, stating that it fostered “unprecedented connectivity and collectivity” across India. The yatra aimed to bridge growing divides and promote peace, inclusivity, and solidarity at a time when the Congress party argued the country was facing increasing inequality and communal tensions. Ramesh added that the march also paved the way for further movements such as the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which took place between January and March 2024.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra launched in September 2022 and concluded after months of foot travel across 12 states and two union territories. Rahul Gandhi and Congress members engaged with local communities, addressing pressing national issues like unemployment, inflation, and threats to democracy. The event was seen as a strategic attempt to revitalise the Congress party, re-establish its grassroots support, and challenge the BJP’s dominance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Following its success, Gandhi initiated a second march, the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, from Manipur to Mumbai. This east-west march, which lasted 63 days, blended foot travel and bus journeys to accommodate the limited time ahead of the national elections. Like its predecessor, it was designed to engage voters across the nation and spread the Congress party’s message of unity and justice.

Reflecting on the original Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi emphasised the profound personal and political lessons it imparted. He described the experience as one that helped him discover “the beauty of silence” amidst the chaos of crowds, allowing him to connect deeply with the thousands of Indians he met. “In those 145 days, and the two years since, I’ve listened to thousands of Indians from diverse backgrounds. Each voice has carried wisdom, teaching me something new, and each has represented our beloved Bharat Mata,” Gandhi shared.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also shared his thoughts on the Yatra, and said: “Bharat Jodo Yatra is a historic mass movement, which has become synonymous with uniting the society. The distance covered on foot by Rahul Gandhi and our Bharat Jodo travellers from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, awakened an unprecedented public consciousness of love, mutual harmony and brotherhood in the hearts of millions of people. On the occasion of the second anniversary of Bharat Jodo Yatra, I only appeal to the countrymen to continue the struggle to preserve the Constitution and democracy. Our struggle continues on the real issues of economic inequalities, inflation, unemployment, social injustice, destruction of the Constitution, centralisation of power.”