New Delhi: In a candid speech at the National Press Club in Washington DC, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi discussed the political challenges that prompted his party to undertake the Bharat Jodo Yatra and Nyay Yatra. He emphasized that these initiatives were a direct response to the breakdown of democratic institutions in India, asserting that they were politically forced to reach out directly to the people.We were forced politically to take out the Yatra because all the instruments that normally work in a democracy, they just were not working. The media was not working, the courts were not working... nothing was working, Gandhi stated. He explained that the Yatras became the only feasible way to connect with the people of India in the face of media suppression and weakened democratic structures. It worked beautifully, he added, reflecting on the success of these grassroots campaigns.LIVE: Interaction With Media | Headliners Newsmaker | National Press Club | Washington DC, USA https://t.co/RfTpIr2Znk— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 10, 2024Gandhis aspirationGandhi revealed that the idea of embarking on a cross-country journey was a personal aspiration from his youth, and these marches allowed him to reconnect with the country on both a political and personal level. I always wanted to do it... to walk across my country and see what its about, he remarked.Politically, Gandhi outlined the profound changes in Indias democratic fabric since 2014, the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office. He described the shift as an aggressive attack on the foundations of Indias democratic structures. According to Gandhi, media freedom was severely restricted, courts were unable to function independently, and key institutions were compromised, leaving opposition parties with limited avenues to voice dissent.Bharat Jodo Yatra as a tool In this environment, the Bharat Jodo Yatra became not just a symbolic march, but a necessary tool to engage directly with the public, bypassing traditional channels that had been stifled. Gandhi highlighted how the Yatra enabled him and his party to cut through institutional barriers and communicate directly with ordinary citizens. The walk, according to him, served as a powerful statement of resistance against what he sees as a deteriorating democratic framework under the Modi government, while also reconnecting him with his roots and the broader Indian populace.
