Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra enters Gujarat, joint welcome by Congress, AAP

The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (BJNY) entered Gujarat from neighbouring Rajasthan on Thursday, and the Congress MP was given a welcome by local leaders and workers of his party as well as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The yatra reached Jhalod town of Dahod district in Gujarat from Rajasthan at around 4.45 pm. People gathered at the spot to welcome the Wayanad MP shouted slogans hailing him. Many of them also tried to click selfies with the Congress leader.

Gujarat Congress in-charge Mukul Wasnik, state unit president Shaktisinh Gohil, leader of Opposition Amit Chavda and others were present to welcome Gandhi.

Earlier, the Congress promised right to employment as well as apprenticeships for youth in a series of assurances made by Gandhi at a rally in Rajasthan's Banswara. If the party is voted to power in the Lok Sabha elections, 30 lakh vacant government posts will be filled and a law enacted to curb government recruitment examination question paper leaks, he said, addressing a gathering as part of BJNY.

The former Congress chief also promised a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) for crops to farmers, social security for gig workers and a Rs 5,000-crore fund for startups.

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi said, "There are 30 lakh government vacancies in India. Modi ji doesn't get them filled. The BJP doesn't fill them. After coming to power, our first step will be to fill these posts."

On Thursday, the Congress also announced on X its five promises for youths and termed them 'yuva nyay' (justice for youth). These included filling of government vacancies, apprenticeships, freedom from paper leaks, social security for gig workers, and a startup fund for individuals below 40 years of age.

"We are going to give right to apprenticeship to every youth in the country. Every graduate and every diploma holder will get this right. Every graduate will be offered a one-year apprenticeship in a private company or a government office, and Rs 1 lakh will be given to the person in a year," Gandhi said.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also spoke about the party's manifesto and its promises. "As soon as the Congress government is formed in 2024, a new 'Rozgar Revolution' will begin by providing employment guarantee to the youth of the country," he said on X.

Addressing the gathering, Kharge said whenever the Congress has come to power, it has always worked to take care of the poor. "The Constitution of the country was made under the leadership of Babasaheb Ambedkar and today, all of you are getting the facilities from that Constitution itself. It is due to the blessings of Babasaheb Ambedkar and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru," the Congress chief said.

The state Congress had also invited AAP leaders to join the yatra as both parties will be fighting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat as part of the INDIA bloc. AAP's state unit president Isudan Gadhvi and its leader Gopal Italia were present to welcome Rahul Gandhi.

The 6,700-km 'Manipur to Mumbai' yatra will pass through seven districts of Gujarat having sizeable tribal population, the party's state unit spokesperson Manish Doshi said. "During the four days of the yatra in Gujarat, Rahul Gandhi will address six public meetings, hold 27 corner meetings, and will be welcomed by supporters and well-wishers at over 70 locations," he said.

It will pass through Dahod, Panchmahal, Chhota Udepur, Bharuch, Tapi, Surat and Navsari districts before entering Maharashtra at Navagam on the evening of 10 March, he said.