Team News Riveting
Chennai, September 7
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday handed over the national flag to Congress leader and Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi to start his Bharat Jodo yatra from Kanniyakumari.
At the Gandhi Memorial Hall, Stalin handed over the national flag to the former President and started the Padayatra. Rahul was accompanied by Ashok Gehlot, Rajasthan Chief Minister, KC Venugopal, general secretary of AICC, Karnataka and Kanniyakumari MP, Vijay Vasanth.
Addressing a gathering at the launch of the Congress’ 3,570-km ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ at a rally in Kanniyakumari, Rahul Gandhi said every single institution of the country is under attack and alleged that the BJP considers the tricolour its personal property. India is facing its worst-ever economic crisis along with the highest unemployment rate ever and the country is headed towards a disaster, he added.
He said millions of people feel there is a need to take action to bring the country together and that is why the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ is being undertaken. “Some people, they look at the flag and they see three colours, a chakra and a piece of cloth and they salute the flag. But… this is much more than that. And this flag… did not come easily. It was not given to us. It was not a gift. It was earned by the Indian people,” Gandhi told the gathering.
He said the tricolour represents every citizen of the country and religion and language of every person.
The padayatra is carried out through 12 states and 2 union territories, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. Rahul Gandhi will cover 3,570 km through this padayatra, which will be held for a total of 150 days. Arrangements have been made to reach Kashmir on foot.
Over 60 containers made into caravan vans have already been sent to Kumari to accommodate trekkers. In this, Rahul Gandhi will stay in a separate container and the remaining 118 executives will stay in other containers.
The caravan will walk daily from 7 am to 10 am, break for lunch and walk from 3 pm to 7 pm before night rest. The Congress MP from Wayanad is going to travel in southern states for a total of 56 km till 10, 17 days in Kerala, 21 days in Karnataka, 13 days in Telangana, and 3 days in Andhra Pradesh.
