New Delhi: On Saturday, the Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra hit the streets of the national capital even before the rays of the sun could light up the city.
Coming in from Haryana, the yatra was welcomed with a massive response at the Badarpur border, where Rahul Gandhi, who’s leading the walkathon, spoke of what he called the “message of love”.
“Nafrat ki bazaar mein main mohabbat ki dukaan kholna chahta hoon (in a market of hatred I want to open a shop of love),” said Rahul, to thunderous applause from Congress workers and people who’d lined up since 5am.
The streets of Delhi turned choc-o-block as the crowds made their way to the Jairam Bhramachari Ashram in South Delhi, where the walkathon would take its morning break. On the way, Rahul was joined by his entire family, together for the first time since the Yatra began 108 days ago. He was flanked by mother and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, sister and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, her husband Robert Vadra and kids, Miraya and Raihan.
The Jairam Bhramachari Ashram was built by a former NSUI activist who chose Vaishnavism. During the break, the party announced that Rahul will be paying tributes at the memorial of former PM and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee, along with those of Mahatma Gandhi, Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri.
But the visit was later rescheduled to Sunday, ostensibly because the Yatra ended late Saturday. Rahul’s visit to the former PM’s memorial would be the first by the Gandhi family since Vajpayee passed away in 2018.
As the Yatra resumed after the morning break, the roads of central Delhi, leading up to Red Fort, became a sea of faces.
Soon, Tamil Nadu politician and film superstar, Kamal Haasan joined the Yatra. The Yatra finally reached its culmination point, the Red Fort, way past its scheduled time,
There, Haasan said that he’d blurred party lines to support Rahul in his endeavour.
In what will remain a historic shot, Rahul addressed a huge crowd at the Red Fort, where traditionally only Prime Minister’s have addressed the nation.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra will take a nine-day break before the final month of the journey in January. ThePrint brings glimpses from the Delhi leg of the Yatra.
