150 days, 3,500 kilometers and 12 states. As Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodi Yatra enters its third leg in Karnataka, the first BJP-ruled state on the journey from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, News18 follows along to understand what fueled the difficult march of the Congress leader and others. is giving. In this series we talk to fellow travelers and locals of Rahul Gandhi to gauge their mood and analyze the political and electoral impact of the padyatra.
Imagine waking up at 5 a.m. for 150 days, living out of a mobile container, traveling across the country on foot, meeting many people in a 3,500-km journey. Rahul Gandhi need not imagine this, as the Congress leader and over 100 others who are accompanying him have been facing this harshness for the past few weeks and will continue for the coming weeks.
News18 spent a day hanging out with Rahul Gandhi during the Karnataka leg of their India Jodi tour.
quick start
The day starts at 5 in the morning. After a quick morning routine that includes physiotherapy for his strained knees, Rahul is one of the first passengers To gather and participate in the daily flag hoisting ceremony at 6 am.
Punctual and determined, Rahul prepares for the first leg of the day’s walkathon. hiking Usually starts from the campsite where the team rested for the night. Once a senior leader associated with Rahul hiking assemble, the caravan sets out on a brisk walk. Many leaders, at first, may align with the MP from Wayanad, but soon, some of them who are 60+, fall more comfortable, slower.
“He is very perceptive and instinctively slows down for us. He is very fit as you can see. He covers a distance of 18 to 20 km daily. It is not just his fitness that motivates him. He says people and a very special force motivate him to get out and walk every day,” says a senior Congress leader who has been a part of the yatra from Kanyakumari.
The people around look up to the bright but smiling Congress leader with the hope that they too can walk with him. Getting close is not easy as Rahul Gandhi’s security cover is very high. Their special protection is on a long rope that helps control the crowd around the leader.
Even as the day progresses and the sun gets brighter, people gather on the way to try and meet Rahul Gandhi. When he smiles and looks at the crowd, he wisely invites some visitors to meet him. With his hand on their shoulders, he walks up and asks them questions about what they do and their problems. Sometimes he just keeps going with them, especially if the chosen one is enthusiastic children.
It is not easy to walk with Rahul Gandhi. At the end of the day, it is as fresh as it was in the morning. I’ll probably get it when I keep at it hiking, Josh is there and people give a lot of energy to him and all of us. What is important is that Rahul Gandhi is actually listening to the people, while some others only pretend to do so,” says senior Congress leader Pawan Khera.
empathy and emotional connection
So how does he identify people from the crowd? Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal, one of Rahul Gandhi’s frequent allies, says they have some special affinity and magic.
“It is magical how he can identify with someone he wants to meet. He knows whom to call and every time, whom he has called, he has been a worthy person. They say that a person who understands the injury can always see it in others and thus is drawn towards the person in need of help,” Venugopal told News18.
“A woman who was 80 years old came running to meet him in Thiruvananthapuram. She had run 2 km, and in that crowd, he saw her and called her. He gave her water or else she would have fainted. There are so many incidents like this, such is his attraction towards people,” he added.
“He is doing this for the people of the country, to listen to them, to find solutions, and finally, I am sure he will come up with a vision for India that is connected to the real India, which no other leader Can’t boast. Of. At the end of this journey, he will have learned a lot more.”
Venugopal further says that the journey has been a steep learning curve for Rahul Gandhi, not to mention a huge sacrifice as well.
“I know how close Rahul is” Yes is to his mother. He cannot stay without seeing her for long and the journey is long. He is very attached to her. Perhaps this was the reason why Sonia Gandhi also decided to come here to be with him and support him. This is apart from the fact that she is the Congress President and is participating in hikingVenugopal says.
Running over 600km has taken a toll on the knees of Rahul Gandhi, who was already battling with injuries from the football season.
“My knees were hurting, but then a young woman came and gave me a letter. I keep it in my pocket. It is very inspiring and suddenly all the pain is gone,” he is heard saying in a video after wrapping up the tour leg of Kerala.
The first break for tea and snacks is after a few hours. hiking resumed for the day. It is here that Rahul Gandhi is seen meeting people and interacting with locals in tea shops or roadside hotels.
He starts conversations, asks their names, what they do and soon many people join to discuss issues like unemployment and inflation, and sometimes share their personal experiences.
When language becomes a barrier, local Congress leaders help with the translation. Notes are taken on the issues that need to be highlighted and Rahul is also seen giving advice.
From about 11 am to 4 pm, passengers Break for lunch and rest.
After lunch, Congress leaders are scheduled to interact with various groups, including families of those killed during the COVID-19 pandemic, tribal representatives like Soliga, young intellectuals, theater artists and writers.
“He expressed his solidarity with the families of the Chamarajanagar tragedy. He requested them to give government jobs and compensation to the surviving families. Rahul Yes Told them that after Congress comes to power, they will be given due respect and opportunities can be provided. He met tribal leaders and they also expressed how the Forest Rights Act has not been implemented well among other issues,” KPCC communication wing president and MLA Priyank Kharge told News18.
In another meeting, Gandhi meets young theater artists and singers who tell him that a “certain ideology” is sought in his work.
“They said how they were losing friends if they had any particular inclination or ideology. Being open, multicultural and constitutional, they are being forced to forget what they have learned throughout their lives. Their voice is being suppressed, a certain ideology is being suppressed and it is affecting their work and livelihood,” says Kharge.
In the meeting, Rahul Gandhi advised him to be patient and tolerant.
“She told them that some people come from disgusting backgrounds. It is easy for them to bleed and hatred is what they live on. This is something we need to stop. This can be achieved only when people work in unison, peacefully,” Kharge said, sharing the details of the talks.
After a few sessions, hiking Resume for the last leg of the day.
On their way from Begur in Chamarajanagar district to Thandavapura, a group of young boys are asked to accompany Rahul Gandhi. When asked about the experience, he says he was so taken aback that he could not speak.
Then, a young pulley bud (Tiger Dance) Artists from Kerala walk happily to this reporter. He is thrilled as Rahul Gandhi hugs him and asks him how he is doing.
“They asked my name and wished me well. It was huge and so hot,” says Jaishankar, who has come from Thrissur to be a part of the yatra and entertain people with traditional dances.
local flavor
Rahul Gandhi’s love for local snacks is quite evident as he makes sure that he tastes them on the way. Famous in Kerala. From paripu vadas (lentil based vadas), Pazam Pori (banana dumplings), unniyappam (fried sweets) of Karnataka maddur vada and capsicum-potato-onion bajji (Onion fried capsicum, potato and onion rings), Rahul has liked everyone very much.
The owners of Vishnu Inn, a unique hotel in Nanjangud, were pleasantly surprised to hear that they would be serving tea and snacks to Rahul Gandhi and his fellow travelers.
Bhagirathi and Venugopal Nair have been running the hotel for over three decades. “A quick check was done by the police and the SPG team and they asked to keep the place clean. They asked us if the power would go out and we told them we had generator backup. The police team asked us to keep four plates of onion, capsicum and potato. bajji Ready with tea,” the couple told News18, in a wide grin.
“It happened so quickly. He appreciated the food and asked for locally available energy drinks. He has to stay hydrated because he’s running such a long distance, right?” Varun Venugopal who manages the hotel.
After the pit stops for tea, the crew starts walking again. During this phase the crowd increases and many people join in. passengers To express solidarity for a short distance. As they near their next camp site and stay for the day, people continue to wait with the hope that they will be able to catch a glimpse of him again.
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