Rahul Gandhi: Bharat Jodo Yatra Was Political Necessity Amid Democratic Dysfunction

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stated that Bharat Jodo Yatra and Nyay Yatra were essential due to the failure of democratic instruments in India. Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington DC, he emphasized the necessity to connect directly with citizens. Both marches highlighted political and personal transformation.

In a speech at the National Press Club in Washington DC, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi highlighted the necessity of the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the Nyay Yatra, attributing their inception to the failure of democratic institutions in India.

Gandhi emphasized that conventional instruments of democracy—media, judiciary, and other systems—were rendered ineffective. 'We were forced politically to take out the Yatra because all the instruments that normally work in a democracy, they just were not working... It worked beautifully,' he said.

Reflecting on political shifts, Gandhi noted a significant change in Indian politics starting in 2014 with PM Narendra Modi's first term. He described the Yatras as pivotal in reaching out to citizens amidst suppressed media and controlled institutions, detailing his experiences walking from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and from Manipur to Maharashtra.

(With inputs from agencies.)