After second phase in Haryana, Bharat Jodo Yatra moves to Punjab

Ambala: After completing the second phase in Haryana, the Bharat Jodo Yatra under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi has now moved from Ambala to Punjab.

The yatra travelled 255 km, covering seven districts in eight days in Haryana.

Gandhi on Tuesday offered prayers at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, a day ahead of the start of the Punjab leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

He landed at the Amritsar airport after concluding the Haryana leg of the march in Ambala district.

Donning a turban, Gandhi paid obeisance at the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple.

There will be a flag transfer ceremony at Sirhind in Punjab, after paying obeisance at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib on Wednesday morning.

Former Congress president Gandhi had said there were no parallels to Haryana, while addressing a rally in Faridabad at the end of the first phase. Now, at the end of the second phase, he said in Ambala that "Haryana has shown what it is and what it can do."

Addressing the media in Ambala, Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said Panipat's historic Bharat Jodo Rally and Bharat Jodo Yatra have enthused Congress workers.

"Despite the severe cold and fog, a large number of farmers, workers, youth, women, elderly, children, businessmen, and employees came out of their homes with enthusiasm to support the yatra and end inflation, unemployment and fear and hatred being spread in society."

Hooda said it was clear from the response to the yatra that this has now become a mass movement. He gave full credit for the success of the yatra in Haryana to the love and support of the people of the state and thanked the state Congress leaders and workers, who worked day and night in the preparations.

He said visit of Gandhi's yatra will be written in history for making the country strong.

Referring to the condition of roads in Haryana, Hooda said the condition of roads in the entire state is pathetic.

"During the yatra, there were no potholes on the roads but we had to find roads in potholes. For eight years, the present government did not even repair the roads," he said.

The former chief minister said problems faced by the state will be given special attention when the Congress government comes to power in Haryana. "Today Haryana is number one in unemployment, price rise and drug addiction," he noted.

In Ambala, Gandhi met unemployed youth, representatives of Panchayati Raj organisations. Earlier, representatives of MSMEs associated with scientific instruments of Ambala also met him.

State Congress in-charge Shakti Singh Gohil thanked all the leaders and workers of the party and said the biggest credit goes to the public for making the yatra successful in Haryana.

On Women's Day on Monday also, a large number of women were present in the yatra throughout the day and discussed issues related to women with Gandhi.

Expressing gratitude to all leaders and workers of the party, State Congress President Udaybhan said the people of Haryana participated in the yatra in large numbers to get rid of price rise, unemployment, corruption and misrule of the BJP-JJP government.