Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra enters Delhi amid government’s alerts on Covid scare

Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Delhi early this morning and was warmly welcomed by Congress supporters in the city. The yatra entered the national capital from the Faribadab side in Haryana. Delhi Congress Chief Anil Chaudhary and party workers met Rahul Gandhi, other party leaders, and the padyatris at the Badarpur Border, and progressed towards central Delhi. Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kumari Selja, and Randeep Surjewala were also part of the padayatra. 

On entering Delhi, Rahul Gandhi said that the yatra’s real purpose is to showcase “real Hindustan” where people help each other. Addressing a rally at the Delhi border on Saturday morning, Gandhi said: “There is no nafrat in this yatra. If somebody falls, everybody helps them. This is the real Hindustan. Not the BJP’s and RSS’s hatred-filled Hindustan. We want to show them the real Hindustan. The RSS showed its way of hatred and violence, now we want to show the country another way.”  

The Congress party wrote on Twitter, "Remove inflation, unemployment, and hatred. Carrying this voice of India, we have come to the throne of the 'king', we have come to Delhi. Come join us in the capital to rise it even higher." 

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the yatra is open to even BJP leaders, if they want to unite the country.

 

Covid alert 

Two days ago, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had written to Rahul Gandhi asking him to cancel his Bharat Jodo Yatra amid a scare around rising cases in China. He said that Gandhi should ensure Covid "protocols" are followed during the yatra or cancel it for the country. 

Gandhi in his reply slammed the government and said such alerts were ignored during PM Narendra Modi's recent poll campaign in Gujarat and the BJP marches. "The BJP is taking out yatras in various states. But the Health Minister is sending letter only to us," he said. 

Congress alleged that the BJP wanted to stop Gandhi's yatra as it is scared of the love Bharat Jodo Yatra received. 

Traffic snarls 

The Delhi Police have released a traffic advisory for the Bharat Jodo Yatra, and have asked commuters to avoid certain routes. On Saturday, Gandhi and his supporters are scheduled to cover a 23 km stretch in Delhi, starting from the Badarpur border to Red Fort.  The Delhi Police said the traffic is expected to remain heavy from Badarpur to Red Fort. The police have urged commuters to make "maximum use" of public transport to ensure a smooth journey. 

In an official statement, the Delhi Traffic Police said, "In view of the Bharat Jodo Yatra of the Indian National Congress in Delhi on December 24, 2022, traffic has been changed on various routes. Citizens are requested to avoid the affected roads and make maximum use of public transport." 

Some of the roads/routes which may see slowing traffic are: Badarpur flyover, Apollo Flyover, Modi Mill flyover, Ashram Chowk, Andrews Ganj, Lajpat Nagar Flyover, Moolchand, Pragati Maidan, Mathura Road, Mandi House, Rajghat Chowk, among others. The Congress leaders are expected to cross the areas of Sarita Vihar, Ashram, and Nizamuddin before reaching the Lutyens area near the Oberoi hotel.