Taking out Nyay Yatra as govt didn’t give us chance to raise issues in Parl: Kharge

NEW DELHI: The Congress is taking out the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra as the government did not give it a chance to raise people’s issues in Parliament and the initiative is aimed at re-establishing the principles of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity enshrined in the Constitution, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge said on Saturday.

Addressing a press conference during which he unveiled the logo of the Manipur-Mumbai yatra that will be led by Rahul Gandhi, Kharge attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting violence-hit Manipur, saying he has time for photo shoots at beaches and at places where temples are being constructed but does not have time for the sufferings of the northeastern state.

He also accused the BJP government of misusing agencies like the ED, the CBI and the Income Tax Department to threaten opposition leaders and said Home Minister Amit Shah is running “a big dry clean factory where every tainted leader comes out clean, pure white” after joining the ruling party.

“Unfortunate incidents took place in Manipur but Prime Minister Modi has time for photo shoots of swimming at the beach, in places where temples are being constructed, in Kerala, from everywhere you can see his photo. But why did this ‘mahapurush’ did not go to Manipur where people are dying, women are being raped, people are dying of cold. Is it not part of the country?” Kharge asked.

So that is why the yatra is aimed at creating public awareness about issues, he said.

“We tried to raise issues in Parliament but the government did not allow us to do it. As many as 146 opposition MPs were suspended for the first time in India’s history. The issues 28 parties wanted to raise, they were not allowed to do so. The PM did not come to Parliament (to listen to us) and the session got over. We are going to tell the people about the issues,” he said.

Rahul Gandhi has taken a big step by undertaking this yatra and the whole party is with him in this fight, the party chief said.

The yatra, which will begin on January 14, will cover 6,713 km and its participants will travel on buses and foot.

The yatra being organised ahead of the 2024 general elections will cover 110 districts, 100 Lok Sabha seats and 337 assembly segments in 66 days.