On ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, Jairam Ramesh says no teleprompter, dramatics involved

Bharat Jodo yatra that is set to begin on September 7 from Kashmir will see participation of a large number of Congress workers, including MP Rahul Gandhi.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday said his party’s mega “Bharat Jodo Yatra” campiagn is not abut long speeches, dramatics and teleprompter and its objective is to ensure that the concerns and demands of citizens are heard.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh (gencies)

According to a PTI report, Ramesh, who now heads the Congress’ communications team, said, “Bharat Jodo (Yatra) is not about long speeches, preaching, dramatics, teleprompter, we are going to listen. Its objective is to ensure that the concerns and demands expressed by the people reach Delhi.”

The yatra that is set to begin on September 7 from Kanyakumari will see participation of a large number of Congress workers, including MP Rahul Gandhi. The grand old party has described the yatra as the largest mass contact campaign ever undertaken in independent India.

The yatra anthem was launched at the AICC headquarters at a press conference addressed by Ramesh who said its lyrics -- 'Ek tera kadam, ek mera kadam, mil jaye, jud jaye apna watan' -- signify the objective of the yatra.

Earlier during a press briefing, he also hit out at the saffron camp and former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad for saying the party should first undertake a "Congress Jodo" campaign before the "Bharat Jodo Yatra".

"There is no need for 'Congress Jodo' because the party is unified. "We are a democratic party. We don't silence voices. Those who are not satisfied issue statements. Some people write letters, some people tweet. This is a democratic system," Ramesh said.

"We try to take all people together. We try to reach out to all people. But still, some leave after abusing us. I do not want to comment on them," the Rajya Sabha MP said without mentioning Azad, who in his five-page resignation letter called Rahul Gandhi a "non-serious" politician.

"I feel every Congress leader is involved in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. And that is our only aim now. Because the Congress is united. The Congress is a huge family. People are of different views. And it is a democratic party. People do their 'Mann ki Baat openly," he added.