Bharat Jodo Yatra should not have preached ‘Mann ki Baat’ but listened to ‘Janta ki Chinta’: Congress
The Congress on Monday (September 7, 2026) hailed Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra as a “decisive turning point” that instilled new hope, saying it was not about preaching “Mann ki Baat” but listening to “Janta ki Chinta”.
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh today (September 7, 2026) said it was the fourth anniversary of the launch of the “truly historic Bharat Jodo Yatra” led by Mr Gandhi, who visited the Vivekananda Memorial in Kanyakumari before embarking on an “epic journey” with around 120 other Bhara Yatris.
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“This padyatra was a transformative event in contemporary Indian politics that started in Kanyakumari and covered 4080 km across 12 states and 2 UTs for 145 days before culminating in a rousing rally in Srinagar,” Mr. Ramesh said at X.
He got support and sustenance from millions of Indians who were dealing with widening economic inequalities, growing social polarization and growing political authoritarianism, he said.
The basic thrust of the padyatra was an ideological call for a “systematic attack by the RSS/BJP” on constitutional principles, provisions, practices and procedures, the Congress general secretary said.
It was not preaching Mann ki Baat but listening to Janta ki Chinta, said Mr. Ramesh.
“Today we commemorate a decisive turning point that instilled new hope, added new energy and inspired new determination,” he added.
Congress General Secretary, Organization, KC Venugopal also welcomed the Yatra, saying it had brought about a “revolution” in society.
“I join millions of Indians to commemorate the 4th anniversary of the historic Bharat Jodo Yatra. What started at the crossroads of 3 great seas has culminated in the coming together of millions of Indians,” he said on X.
“The eternal message of hope, compassion and togetherness – which is India’s philosophical core – has revolutionized society, that hatred must be defeated and India’s various communities must come together to save it,” Venugopal said.
Under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, it became a Yatra that broke through the “scam and propaganda of the Modi regime” and made people realize that there is only one party that carries the message of love, secularism, equality and constitutional values to every corner of India, he said.
“That it is clear that there is only one leader who can bring people together in this fight against injustice and hatred,” Mr Venugopal said.
“Yes, the Bharat Jodo Yatra was a pivotal moment. But our mission is still incomplete. Let us take a moment today to reiterate our commitment to save India from the fascists and rebuild it in the vision of the founders of our great republic,” he said.
“India is eagerly awaiting the moment when their dreams become reality and the many ills we face are addressed by a compassionate and ethical regime,” Mr. Venugopal said.
During the course of the march, Mr. Gandhi addressed 12 public meetings, more than 100 street corner meetings and 13 press conferences. He had over 275 planned walking interactions and over 100 sitting interactions.
The march witnessed participation from various sections of society, including film and television celebrities such as Kamal Haasan, Pooja Bhatt, Riya Sen, Swara Bhasker, Rashami Desai, Akanksha Puri and Amol Palekar.
Besides, writers and military veterans, including former Army Chief Gen (Retd) Deepak Kapoor and former Navy Chief Admiral (Retd) L Ramdas, and notables such as former Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan and former Finance Minister Arvind Mayaram also participated in the yatra.
Opposition leaders like Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah of the National Conference, Mehbooba Mufti of the People’s Democratic Party, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Aaditya Thackeray, Priyanka Chaturvedi and Sanjay Raut and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader Supriya Sule also walked at various places during the march of Mr.
Published – 07 Sep 2026 12:36 IST