The Bharat Jodo Yatra being taken out by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached Palakkad district on Monday. Mr. Gandhi and his fellow walkers crossed the Cochin Bridge early morning into the warmth and cheer of a reception offered by thousands of Congress workers from the district at Shoranur.
“I completed 400 km,” Mr. Gandhi replied a group of young boys who walked ahead of him with their footballs. “Let me see how you head the ball,” he told one of them and threw the ball to him to head. The 25-km leg of the yatra in the district appeared spirited as Mr. Gandhi interacted with people of different ages.
Cheer all around
Thousands of people followed Mr. Gandhi as he walked cheerfully along the Shoranur-Pattambi road. He waved to the crowds who cheered him from both sides of the road. He shook hands with youngsters and the elderly alike, and people jostled to get closer to him and to touch him. Many voices were heard shouting ‘Rahulji, Rahulji’ and some offered flying kisses.
Abdulla Aboobacker, triple-jump silver medal winner in the Commonwealth Games, joined Mr. Gandhi at Shoranur. Students Shada, Haneena and Riya gifted Mr. Gandhi a painting of his they sketched.
“Your idea of uniting people transcending religion, caste, and class is fantastic. It will materialise soon, driving away the forces of division and evil,” said Balagopal and his family as they greeted Mr. Gandhi.
Meeting with Tharoor
The yatra reached Pattambi by 10 a.m. Mr. Gandhi entered Rajaprastham Auditorium at Pattambi after offering floral tributes at a statue of Mahatma Gandhi. Shashi Tharoor, MP, met Mr. Gandhi and held discussions with him.
After an interaction with a select group of leaders, artistes and employees from the tribal hamlets of Attappady, Mr. Gandhi continued the march to Koppam. Those who received Mr. Gandhi at the border were V.K. Sreekandan, Ramya Haridas, MPs; District Congress Committee present A. Thankappan; KPCC executive committee member C.V. Balachandran; KPCC general secretaries C. Chandran and K.A. Thulasi; organising committee convener K.S.B.A. Thangal; Youth Congress leader V.T. Balram and Congress district vice president Sumesh Achuthan.
Mr. Gandhi is to cover 3,570 km on foot from Kanyakumari to Kashmir in five months by raising the slogan Mile Kadam, Jude Vatan (come together, unite the nation).
