Bharat Jodo Yatra finale: 21 ‘like-minded’ parties invited; AAP, KCR, Azad left out

The invitation comes days after Rahul Gandhi reached out to Opposition parties, urging them to come together to present an “alternative vision” to the BJP. As the party traversed through Uttar Pradesh, he wrote personal letters to several prominent personalities from the state, including politicians, urging them to join him.

Letters have been sent to Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Janata Dal (United) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader N Chandrababu Naidu, Samajwadi Party’s (SP) Akhilesh Yadav, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, besides Left leaders Sitaram Yechury and D Raja.

Both Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah of the National Conference (NC) have been invited and so have Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti, RJD leader Sharad Yadav, and leaders of the Hindustani Awam Morcha, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP).

While some opposition leaders joined the Yatra at Gandhi’s invitation as it passed through their state, some of them chose not to. Stalin was present in Kanyakumari on the opening day and handed over the Tricolour to Gandhi. In Maharashtra, Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray and NCP MP Supriya Sule joined in. Farooq Abdullah and Kamal Haasan walked with Gandhi in Delhi. Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati did not join the yatra but lauded Gandhi and extended wishes for the yatra’s success.

“From the beginning of the Yatra, we have invited the participation of every like-minded Indian. At the invitation of 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,” Kharge wrote in the invitation letter.

The Yatra, which began from Kanyakumari on September 7, entered Punjab on Wednesday after passing through 10 states and the Union Territory of Delhi and covering over 3,300 km. By the time it concludes, the Yatra will have covered more than 3,500 km.

Kharge, in his letter, argued that India was facing an “economic, social and political crisis”. “At this time, when the Opposition’s voice is being suppressed in 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. All sections of society have also participated and shared their problems — youth, women and elderly; farmers, labourers, small businessmen and industrialists; Dalits, Adivasis, and linguistic and religious minorities; activists, artists and spiritual leaders. This direct conversation with the people has been a major achievement of the Yatra,” he said.

The Congress president said the Yatra had a very simple and enduring message of harmony and equality. “Indians have fought for these values over the centuries, and they are enshrined in our Constitution. Every day, Yatris walk 20-25 km through the heat, cold, and rain. They have carried the Yatra’s message to tens of lakhs of people,” Kharge said.

Kharge said that at the concluding event “we will commit ourselves to fighting hatred and violence, to spread the message of truth, compassion and non-violence, and to defend the Constitutional values of liberty, equality, fraternity and justice for all”.

He added, “At this time of crisis for our country, where public attention is systematically diverted from people’s issues, the Yatra has emerged as a powerful voice. I hope you will participate and further strengthen its message.”