Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra cannot predict future of Indian National Congress

Bharat Jodo Yatra came to an end on 31^st January 2023 in India. A mass movement started by current opposition political party Indian National Congress on 7^th September 2022 reached its final destination Srinagar. It was a journey completed in 136 days from Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu) to Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) that witnessed participation of thousands of people including party workers. Former President of the Indian National Congress party Rahul Gandhi leaded this movement with an aim to unite India and to inspect situation on ground. The journey was covered by several media channels and became talk of the town globally.

Where opposition criticized this whole movement calling it a ‘waste’, some prominent faces like author and great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi M.K. Gandhi, Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, Hip Hop artist Divine, Hindi film director Onir, Rights activist Medha patkar and Shiv sena leader and Maharashtra MLA Aditya Thackeray joined the unity work held by the party. Even though Congress clearly mentioned that it is not an election focused rally, political expert thinks otherwise. According to Shreya Banerjee, ‘Congress definitely wants to take over BJP and this whole movement was one crucial step in this process. Since Narendra Modi is serving as a Prime Minister for the second time, his popularity is a tough rating to beat and the opposition knows it.’ She added, ‘The motive was to connect with people on an emotional level by walking with them on ground and to transform party’s image’.

During Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi along with his people covered 12 states and the distance of 3500 km. But does this all going to benefit Congress in future? Shreya has a very interesting but logical answer. ‘Currently BJP is ruling over maximum states and with higher number of votes. And consequently for two years. The party is expanding its roots all over the country and is trying to establish itself as only capable party in country, this is what opposition is worried about. Regarding what change this movement will bring, I would say not much. Single unity walk with bunch of congress party workers cannot bring change. There have been divisions internally in the party, and this is affecting their performance in elections from last couple of years. BJP has an upper hand here, and Congress has to work hard along with other parties to come in power’, she said.

Mr. Gandhi draws attention to multiple issues during the ongoing Yatra like unemployment, inflation, hatred and political centralization. However BJP claims that after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister major problems have been solved and country is progressing. A couple from Mumbai joined the unity walk and told EAT news, ‘Our whole family is BJP supporter and we were too. But nothing has changed for good, instead country is becoming a center of communal hatred and violence. We joined this movement to become a part of this patriotic journey. It actually reminded us of one of those days from revolution.’ A cab driver from Haryana said, ‘I am not a supporter of any party. But after joining Bharat Jodo Yatra I realized how people in a large number gathered and walked for a same cause in this chilly winter. It was a kind of unity we see during revolutions and I am grateful to be a part of it.’

Mr. Gandhi on last day of Yatra addressed a rally in Srinagar and said, ‘people here did not give me hand grenades but hearts full of love’ after he said he was warned that he might be attacked. Kashmir is a disputed region for both India and Pakistan. He also said that BJP leaders could not walk like this in Jammu and Kashmir because they are scared. He blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for instigating the violence in the state. As per the expert Shreya, since the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir was implied, congress was against it. She said, ‘BJP and Congress had number of clashes and disagreements as a part of opposition perspective and Article 370 is one of them. So for Mr. Gandhi to speak in Srinagar with people directly and walking freely on streets of Kashmir despite being a prominent face in politics of India was a required yet expected action.’

‘And Kashmir has been a major matter of situation for Indian administration each time so to focus on Kashmiris and their struggle is always an attention driven strategy’, Shreya later added. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said at the event, ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra was not for winning elections but against hate’. Now, how far this Bharat Jodo Yatra will take Congress in politics or was it actually for hate and not elections will get disclosed sooner or later.