Top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday interacted with civil society representatives here seeking support for the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ with the organisations welcoming the initiative and expressed their “willingness to engage” with the programme.
The party pitched the 3,500 km non-stop yatra covering 12 states and two union territories as a “political but non-partisan” programme to unite the country against the “divisive” BJP and invited the civil society and other political parties to join them.
Interacting with the representatives at the Constitution Club, Rahul told the delegates that it was “time for us to unite and march in solidarity”. He said the yatra is about reclaiming the soul of the country and he would embark on the journey even if no one joins him.
Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh told reporters that Rahul said that there were three “enormous” challenges – economic, social and political – faced by the country and sought everyone’s support in the fight.
After the day-long deliberations, prominent activist Aruna Roy read out a statement on behalf of the civil society which said that Congress had reached out to them for “support and engagement” with the five-month-long yatra.
“The participant organisations welcomed the decision of the Yatra and expressed their willingness to engage with the yatra. It was decided that an appeal will be issued in the coming days for larger engagement of various civil society groups, Jan Andolan and individuals,” she said.
During the deliberations, sources said, several organisations expressed apprehension about directly participating in the ‘padayatra’ and this resulted in the careful statement that spoke about its willingness to “engage” and leave the final decision on physically participating in the yatra to the local organisations.
Farmers’ Union leader Darshan Pal told the meeting that their priority was farmers’ issues and they may not be able to divert their attention to the yatra. Another civil society member, who was sympathetic to the idea of the yatra, said that directly participating in the yatra would hamper their credibility.
Besides Roy and Pal, other prominent activists who attended the programme included Syeda Hameed, Sharad Behar, PV Rajgopal, Bezwada Wilson, Devanoora
Mahadeva, GN Devy, Yogendra Yadav and Ashok Bharti.
Wilson said they were not numbed and not going to keep quiet about the assault on democracy. “We are not just civil society but a civilised society and that is why this yatra is relevant,” he said.
Yadav said the organisations have unanimously welcomed the yatra and organisations will decide on their own how to engage.
“There are many forms of engagement. You can walk the full 3,500 km or you can walk for some part. You can welcome them. You can express solidarity. How to do it the organisations will decide,” he said.