Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to embark on a 67-day-long yatra across 14 states and 85 districts of India, starting from Manipur on January 14 and ending in Mumbai on March 20. The yatra, named Bharat Nyay Yatra, is aimed at highlighting the issues of social, economic and political justice for the people of the country, especially the marginalized and oppressed sections.
The Bharat Nyay Yatra is the second leg of Gandhi's cross-country march, following the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which covered over 4,000 km from Kanyakumari to Kashmir in five months. The Bharat Jodo Yatra focused on spreading the message of unity, love and harmony among the people, while challenging the BJP's divisive and authoritarian policies.
The Bharat Nyay Yatra, however, will have a more political tone, as it will cover several vital states that will go to polls in 2024, such as West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. Gandhi will also interact with various sections of society, such as women, youth, farmers, workers, tribals, Dalits, OBCs and minorities, and listen to their grievances and aspirations.
The Congress hopes that the Bharat Nyay Yatra will help the party regain its lost ground and revive its electoral fortunes in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party also hopes that the yatra will project Gandhi as a credible alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been facing criticism for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic slowdown, the farmers' protests and the border tensions with China.
The Bharat Nyay Yatra will also raise some of the key demands of the Congress, such as the implementation of the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) scheme, which promises a minimum income of Rs 6,000 per month to the poorest 20% of the population, the restoration of the 50% reservation for OBCs in educational institutions and government jobs, the conduct of a caste census to ensure proper representation of all communities, and the repeal of the three farm laws that have sparked widespread agitation among the farmers.
The Bharat Nyay Yatra will also highlight the achievements and failures of the Congress and the BJP governments in the states that it will pass through. Gandhi will also try to forge alliances with regional parties and leaders, such as Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal, Tejashwi Yadav in Bihar, Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh, Bhupesh Baghel in Chhattisgarh, Ashok Gehlot in Rajasthan, and Sharad Pawar in Maharashtra, to form a united front against the BJP.
The Bharat Nyay Yatra is expected to be a historic and ambitious exercise by the Congress and Gandhi, who has been trying to reinvent himself and his party after the humiliating defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The yatra will test Gandhi's stamina, charisma, leadership and vision, as he tries to connect with the masses and win their trust and support. The yatra will also determine the fate of the Congress and the future of Indian politics, as the country gears up for the 2024 elections.