Rahul Gandhi to launch Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Kanyakumari today

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will launch the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' here on Wednesday.

Before launching the mega rally, the former Congress chief will take part in a prayer meeting at former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's memorial in Tamil Nadu's Sriperumbudur.

From there, he will arrive Kanyakumari and will visit to Thiruvalluvar Memorial Vivekananda Memorial and to Kamraj Memorial. Also there will be a prayer meeting at Mahatama Gandhi Mandapam, following which, Rahul Gandhi will launch the Yatra in presence Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot among others.

The three Chief Ministers will hand over the national flag to participants of the rally, which will pass through 12 states and will cover 3,500 km from Kanyakumari to Jammu and Kashmir in five months (150 days). As many as 118 leaders will participate in it.

According to a Congress leader, the purpose behind the march with national flag is that the party wants other like-minded parties and civil society groups to join the programme.

Ahead of the proposed march, Rahul Gandhi on Sunday has said that the government has blocked all the paths and the opposition has no way but to go to people of the country.

The yatra will reach Kerala on September 11 and will continue there for 18 days before reaching Karnataka on September 30. The yatra will continue in Karnataka for 21 days.

The Congress has said that the padyatra is aimed eliminating hatred.

The tentative list of leaders who will participate in the yatra include Congress Youth leader Kanhaiya Kumar, Pawan Khera and former Punjab Minister Vijay Inder Singla among others.

--IANS

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