Instead of Imphal, Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra to begin from Thoubal

The Congress party announced on Friday that the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, led by party MP Rahul Gandhi, will commence from a private ground in Manipur's Thoubal district on 14 January, instead of the initially planned location in the state capital Imphal.

Manipur Congress president Keisham Meghachandra Singh said though they had requested permission to launch the yatra from the Hapta Kangjeibung ground in Imphal, the state government had granted approval with certain conditions, compelling the party to shift the venue approximately 34 km away at the last minute.

"We had proposed to the state government on 2 January that Hapta Kangjeibung public ground in Imphal be allowed to flag off the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. We had also announced that the yatra would start from Imphal and culminate in Mumbai," he stated.

Despite a meeting with chief minister N. Biren Singh on 10 January, where state Congress leaders were informed that permission would not be granted, a subsequent order issued that night allowed the Hapta Kangjeibung ground to be used, with a restricted number of participants.

Meghachandra explained that during discussions with chief secretary Vineet Joshi, DGP Rajiv Singh, and the deputy commissioner and SP of Imphal East district, the leaders were informed that only up to 1,000 people would be permitted at the venue.

Faced with the refusal, the Thoubal DC late on Thursday night gave the approval for the yatra to commence from private land in the Khongjom area of the district.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is slated to inaugurate the yatra from this new location.

Despite the change in venue, a state Congress leader asserted that there would be no alterations to the planned route.

Commencing on 14 January in Manipur, the yatra is set to conclude in Mumbai on 20 March. The itinerary spans 6,713 km over 67 days, passing through 110 districts in 15 states.