Manipur Government Declines Permission To Start Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra From Palace Ground In Imphal

Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' is facing challenges even before getting started. The yatra was planned to be initiated from Manipur's Imphal on 14 January but was declined permission by the state government on Wednesday (10 January).

Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Keisham Meghachandra confirmed this development while talking to ANI.

He said, “We met the chief minister in connection with the permission for the venue of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra today. The chief minister declined to give permission for Hafta Kangjeibung, Palace Compound.”

"Even if the government declines (the permission), we have decided to do this near the Khongjom War Memorial complex, Thoubal at a private lane. We are discussing with the AICC team...," he added.

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal also responded to the development and said, "When we are starting a yatra from East to West, how can we avoid Manipur? Then what message we are giving to the people of the country?"

He affirmed the need to start the yatra from Manipur only and said that now it will start from another location in Manipur, details of which will be announced later.

Initially, the Congress had organised a march from Pasighat in Arunachal to Porbandar in Gujarat, which is Mahatma Gandhi's birthplace. However, the outbreak of ethnic violence in Manipur since 3 May led to a change in their plans.

The yatra is planned to encompass 15 states with a span of 66 days. Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to speak twice daily during the 6,700-km march, Jairam Ramesh said while announcing the yatra.