Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra to start from Thoubal instead of Manipur's capital Imphal

The Congress party has announced that the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi would be flagged off from Manipur's Thoubal district instead of Imphal after the BJP Government gave limited permission to use the Hapta Kangjeibung Palace ground in state capital.  

The Congress' Manipur President Keisham Meghachandra Singh said that permission was sought on January 2 to start the yatra from the Hapta Kangjeibung ground in the state Capital but the Manipur Government gave consent with certain conditions, forcing the party to move the venue to Thoubal district's Khongjom War Memorial starting from January 14.

The Imphal East district administration in an order earlier said."........considering the prevailing law and order situation and circumstances, only flagging off of the yatra with a limited number of participants, is hereby allowed on January, 14, 2024 to prevent any untoward incident and disturbance in law and order. The number and names of the participants shall be provided in advance to this office to enable this office to take all necessary precautionary measures."

"We met Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday but he, referring to the prevailing law and order situation, told us that the permission would not be given to use the Hapta Kangjeibung ground. Later in the night (on January 10), the district administration issued an order giving permission for the ground but with a limited number of participants," the Congress leader told the media.

Singh said that a team of the state Congress again met Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi in presence of Director General of Police Rajiv Singh, and the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent of Police in Imphal East district. "But the officials told us that not more than 1,000 people would be allowed at the Imphal venue and this is a very, very small number of participants for this mega event. On Thursday night, Thoubal Deputy Commissioner gave permission for flagging off the yatra from a private place in Khongjom area of the district. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge will flag off the yatra from the Khongjom area," he said.

Terming the Manipur Government's decision as murder of democracy and violation of peoples' right, the Congress leader said that the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' will be launched as scheduled by the AICC.

He said that on January 14 several leaders of the party, including Chief Ministers and MPs from across the country will gather in Manipur for a peaceful rally.

AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal (Organisation) earlier said that from Manipur, the yatra will go to Nagaland, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya and will culminate in Mumbai on March 20 after covering 6,713 km through 110 districts in 15 states in 66 days.

Venugopal had said that the yatra would demand justice for the women, youth, farmers and poor and it would be historic as well.

(With inputs from IANS)