New Delhi, Jan. 11 (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has invited leaders of 21 like-minded parties to join the concluding function of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar on January 30, saying their presence would strengthen the march's message of truth, compassion and non-violence.
In a letter to the heads of the parties, he said from the beginning of the yatra, the Congress has sought the participation of every like-minded party and on the invitation of Rahul Gandhi, MPs of several political parties joined it at different stages.
"I now invite you to personally join the concluding function of the Bharat Jodo Yatra to be held in Srinagar on January 30 at noon. The function is dedicated to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi, who lost his life on this day in his tireless struggle against the ideology of hatred and violence," Kharge wrote.
"At this event, we will commit ourselves to fighting hatred and violence, to spread the message of truth, compassion and non-violence, and to defend the constitutional values of liberty, equality, fraternity and justice for all. At this time of crisis for our country, where public attention is systematically diverted from people's issues, the yatra has emerged as a powerful voice. I hope you will participate and further strengthen its message," he said.
Among the opposition parties which have been invited are Trinamool Congress (TMC), JDU, Shiv Sena, TDP, National Conference, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, DMK, CPI, CPI-M and the JMM.
The RJD, RLSP, HAM, PDP, NCP, MDMK, VCK, IUML, KSM and RSP have also been invited.
Among the leaders invited by the Congress are Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah of the NC, and former parliamentarian Sharad Yadav.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 and will conclude in Srinagar on January 30, with Rahul Gandhi hoisting the national flag there.
The march has so far covered more than 3,300 km passing through Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and is now in Punjab. The yatra will cover a total distance of 3,570 km during its entire journey.
Kharge said, "Today, India faces an economic, social and political crisis. At this time, when the Opposition's voice is being suppressed in Parliament and the media, the yatra is connecting directly with lakhs of people."
"We have discussed the grave issues affecting our nation - inflation, unemployment, social divisions, weakening of democratic institutions and the threat on our borders. All sections of society have also participated and shared their problems - youth, women and elderly, farmers, labourers, small businessmen and industrialists, dalits, adivasis, and linguistic and religious minorities, activists, artists and spiritual leaders. This direct conversation with the people has been a major achievement of the yatra," the Congress president wrote.