On Monday during the Bharat Jodo Yatra’s Haryana leg, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met a delegation of farmers that included Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) head Rakesh Tikait. There were numerous farmer delegations in Kurukshetra to support the Congress’ march on foot. Several issues pertaining to the nation’s farmers were discussed during the meeting between the Congress leader and BKU leader. This gathering also covered the ongoing Nava Raipur Kisan Andolan in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
“Today I met Rahul Gandhi ji in Haryana and discussed the problems of the farmers. In the discussion, Nava Raipur Kisan Andolan going on in Chhattisgarh, Himachal and Rajasthan was discussed and also talked about the farmers’ issues of other states,” tweeted Tikait. Communications coordinator for the party and a member of Congress Jairam Ramesh also used his Twitter account to give information about the meeting. He noted, “Today @RahulGandhi interacted with various farmer organizations at Shahabad near Kurukshetra. Their main demand was a legal guarantee for the MSP and the actual implementation of the 2013 Land Acquisition Act. He was also against GM mustard.”
On Monday morning, Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra for the Congress recommenced from Khanpur Kolian in the Haryana region of Kurukshetra. The foot March travelled through Uttar Pradesh over the course of three days before entering the state on January 6. Gandhi, wearing a white T-shirt, was joined by residents in the early morning mist. The yatra, which is in its 115th day, will travel through Shahbad and Saha tonight before arriving at Mohra Maulana of Ambala.
Taking to Twitter, party MP Jothimani stated, “Tomorrow is an all-women walk in Bharat Jodo Yatra . one of the most exciting days. @RahulGandhi is very passionate and committed to women’s empowerment, looking forward to it!.” Rahul Gandhi celebrated the Mahila Sashaktikaran Diwas earlier in December when yatris marched towards the Peepulwada in the Rajasthani district of Sawai Madhopur. Similarly, only women participated in Rahul Gandhi’s Yatra in November on the occasion of former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s birth anniversary on November 19.
Parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Haryana have so far been traversed by the foot march, which began at Kanyakumari on September 7. Jammu and Kashmir will serve as the culmination. On January 10, the yatra is scheduled to arrive in Punjab, a border state, before concluding in Jammu & Kashmir.