NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday renamed the Rahul Gandhi-led East to West march as the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra,’ set to commence from Manipur on January 14. Previously, the yatra was known as the “Bharat Nyay Yatra.” The party has extended an invitation to all members of the INDIA bloc to join the yatra at any point along its route.
Spanning 6,713 km, the yatra will traverse 15 states, including Arunachal Pradesh. Notably, the 66-day journey will spend its longest duration — 11 days — in Uttar Pradesh, a politically crucial state that contributes the most MPs to Parliament. The Congress aims to improve its performance in Uttar Pradesh, where it secured only one seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The yatra will journey through 1,074km across 20 districts of the state. In Assam, participants will cover 833km in 17 districts over eight days.
Ramesh said, “Gandhi’s Yatra is fundamentally about justice, aiming to achieve political, economic, and social justice for the people of India.” Addressing the participation of INDIA bloc parties in the yatra, Ramesh stated, “The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is open to everyone. We invite INDIA alliance parties, Congress-aligned parties from various states, and civil society organizations to participate.”
When questioned about the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s involvement, he confirmed that all INDIA bloc members, including AAP and Arvind Kejriwal, have been invited. He further mentioned that the yatra will proceed both by buses and on foot, covering approximately 110 districts, around 100 Lok Sabha constituencies, and 337 assembly segments. Ramesh asserted that the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra would be as politically transformative as the previous Bharat Jodo Yatra.
“The concept of ‘Nyay’ derives from the preamble of the Indian Constitution, which promises justice—social, economic, and political—to all its citizens,” Ramesh elaborated. He added that liberty, equality, and fraternity are deeply interconnected principles.
Ramesh recalled that during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi highlighted major concerns such as increasing inequality, escalating social polarization, and rising political tyranny and authoritarianism. The solution, he suggested, lies in ensuring justice for the people. The yatris will spend five days in West Bengal and eight days in Jharkhand. The schedule includes a one-day stop in Manipur and four days each in Bihar and Odisha.
‘Solution lies in ensuring justice for the people’
Addressing the participation of INDIA bloc parties in the yatra, Ramesh said, “The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is open to everyone.” He recalled that during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi highlighted major concerns such as increasing inequality, escalating social polarization, and rising political tyranny. The solution, he suggested, lies in ensuring justice for the people. The yatris will spend five days in West Bengal and eight days in Jharkhand. The schedule includes a one-day stop in Manipur and four days each in Bihar and Odisha.
