The Madhya Pradesh Congress launched a statewide Nyaya Yatra (justice yatra) on Thursday, starting its campaign for the upcoming Assembly elections, expected in November this year. The yatra, led by state Congress chief Arun Yadav and leader of opposition Ajay Singh, began on Thursday from Udaipura after prayers at a Hanuman temple.
The yatra will be conducted in phases and has declared as its objectives seeking justice for Preeti Raghuvanshi and dying farmers in the state, combating atrocities on women and marginalised communities, meeting needs of unemployed youth and highlighting corruption of BJP leaders.
Raghuvanshi committed suicide recently when her husband, son of state PWD Minister Rampal Singh, was engaged to another girl and the minister refused to accept her in his family. Her family and the Congress are demanding a FIR be registered against the minister and his son, Girjesh, holding them responsible for Raghuvanshi's suicide.
The first phase of two days began from the hometown of Rampal and the parents of Raghuvanshi shared the dais with Congress leaders.
The yatra in the election year is the first major step by the Congress to revive its fortunes in a state where it has been out of power for the last 14 years. The yatra is being taken out jointly by state unit chief Yadav and Ajay Singh. Two years ago, a similar padyatra by Yadav had to be shelved because of non-cooperation from the other leaders of the party.
The Congress has been a severely divided house in the state, reeling under factionalism due to overambitious leaders. The state is famous for its top Congress leaders who are in the news for various reasons. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who too is on a six-month-long Narmada Padyatra, said to a newspaper on Thursday that Kamal Nath is the best choice for the face of chief minister. The statement of Digvijaya has once again stirred the hornet's nest. The other prominent Congress leader, Jyotiraditya Scindia, too has asked for a face to lead the state Congress in the elections.
Speaking at the beginning of the yatra, Ajay said, “It is evident that people are now in a mood to teach a lesson to the BJP in the elections. Almost every section of society like farmers, workers, women and common people have been cheated.”
Yadav said, “It has been proved that BJP government is working just for few people. While the chief minister claims that he will teach a lesson to people committing atrocities on women, his own minister is running free. Police did not even register a case in the matter of Preeti Raghuvanshi even after 19 days.”
The first phase of the yatra will end at Bhopal, with the next phases to be conducted in Malwa, Vindhya and Budelkhand regions.