Unity, representation, fight against hatred: BJY means different things to different people

Bharat Jodo Yatra on its second day in Hyderabad had people coming in the morning to see Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. People across different party lines were on the streets to see him walk, meet and greet. People stood on road dividers below the metro rail and waved flags and greeted him.

The yatra on November 2nd, started from MGB Bajaj showroom at Balanagar at six am with the director and actress Pooja Bhatt joined Mr Gandhi and other leaders and the congress party cadre.

Vision of leaders is a people's yatra now

Kahnaiya Kumar who walked a few meters ahead of Rahul Gandhi interacted about his experience of the yatra, "Like our country, our experiences are also varied."

Asked if the Yatra will change the winds of the 2024 general elections, he says it is not about elections, "Yatra is about a sense of unity, connectivity and collective effort."

"When the Yatra was conceptualized, it was the leaders' decision. When the arrangements started, it was party workers' initiative', but now it is people's Yatra."

The yatris from Hyderabad wanted a picture with him and he obliged. With Rahul Gandhi's conclave catching up Kumar started walking along with him.

7 am people came out

By seven in the morning, people have come out of their houses to see Rahul Gandhi, one of them says, "We have been silent supporters of the Congress leaders. With Rahul Gandhi coming down to our state it is our duty to show support to him."

All political party workers have come to see him

The yatri's had people from Telangana and also different parts of India. The local Congress party workers are very happy to see him walk the streets of Hyderabad.

"There is a major boost among the party workers and also the leaders. They are happy to see him interact with people. There is a huge support for him and that is being witnessed in the yatra. We are confident that he will become the next Prime Minister," said a member of Sarvin Goud.

Goud says, "There are not only Congress party workers but the workers from other parties also have been standing along the sidelines to see him. People who usually do not support Congress party also came to see him."

Another woman yatri, Himani Wasnik, says she's been walking along Mr. Gandhi from Kanyakumari, "for me, it is like I'm back in college. There is a lot of learning and enthusiasm among everyone."

Yatri's share their experience

"There is no party flag here, people have brought their flags in enthusiasm, but as a Yatra, it is not about the Congress. It is only about India. It is about the fight against religious hate," says Sham Sundar Reddy, one of the Bhatar Yatri.

He adds, "even if there is politics, it is about representing the minorities and solving their issues."

Civil rights activist Nikhat Fatima says, "I felt happy to be part of the Bharat Jodo yatra. And I really appreciate RG's initiative; walking such a long distance is no joke. His meeting the marginalized people from all sections on his journey is a grand gesture. But the crowd in Hyderabad was not even half of what is during the campaigns, yatras of right-wing leaders. The response was lukewarm."

"It will take time for people to change their thinking, but this Yatra will surely show them what congress party and Rahul Gandhi stand for," says Ashika, yatri from Chattisgarh.

"As women yatris, we did face issues concerning toilets and other things, but at the same time, we also got to know the state of public facilities in the country. For women to enter the workforce or public life, there must be proper facilities," explained a women yatri from Telangana.