Mallikarjun Kharge writes to Mamata Banerjee to seek safety of yatra, Rahul Gandhi in West Bengal

Apprehending trouble by miscreants during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in West Bengal, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to chief minister Mamata Banerjee seeking appropriate directions to ensure its smooth passage through the state and safety of the yatris, including Rahul Gandhi.

In his letter, Kharge expressed fear that some miscreants may try to show the state administration in bad light or disrupt the yatra, as had happened in some neighbouring states.

He said the Congress has embarked on the "Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra" from Manipur to Maharashtra to spread the message of justice to heal and unite the nation.

Kharge said Rahul Gandhi, who is leading this yatra had earlier walked from Kanyakumari to Kashmir in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, has always maintained that the yatras serves a larger purpose of uniting people who stand divided today by the BJP in the name of religion, caste and creed and to ensure that the weakest are assured of justice social, economic and political.

"That is why the yatras have remained apolitical and attracted crores of people across India cutting across all sections of the society who identify with a strong, progressive and secular 'INDIA for All'," he said.

The Congress president said the Bharat Jodo Yatra went across the country without any untoward incident and culminated in a rally in Kashmir.

"However, some miscreants targeted the current Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in your neighbouring states. This has been done on political instigation but our cadre faced it bravely.

"Now the yatra is passing through Bengal over the next few days. I have been made aware that again some miscreants may foment trouble for the yatra. I am not sure if intention may be to show the state administration in bad light or to disrupt the yatra," Kharge wrote.

"I am writing to request you that you may kindly issue appropriate directions to ensure smooth passage of the yatra through Bengal and ensure safety of the yatris, including Shri Rahul Gandhi.

"I am aware that the Gandhi family and you share very cordial relations, and you would ensure that all security concerns would be addressed adequately. However, I thought it would be best if I personally write to you requesting for the same," the Congress president said.

Kharge has earlier spoken to Banerjee soon after she announced that the Trinamool Congress would contest the elections alone and efforts are on to have a tie-up with her party and the Congress.

The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered West Bengal in Cooch Behar on Thursday morning, 25 January, and after a two-day break would restart from Jalpaiguri with a padayatra.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the yatra will then proceed to Siliguri and Gandhi will address a public rally there.

On 29 January, the yatra will reach Araria in Bihar and will remain in Bihar's Araria, Purnia and Kishanganj on 30 January, where Gandhi will address rallies and padayatras.

On 30 January, the yatra will return to West Bengal at night and will be in Malda, Murshidabad, Birbhum districts on 30 and 31 January, after which it will go to Jharkhand, Ramesh said.

He said as some exams are going on in Siliguri, the padayatra will start at 2 pm instead of in the morning.

"Kharge ji has spoken to West Bengal chief minister and have given him invitation to her to join the yatra. We feel that going by her statement, her target is the BJP and she is fighting against BJP. The Congress also wants to defeat the BJP are are on the same page.

"The Congress wants the West Bengal chief minister should participate in the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and we will welcome her. She should take out some time for the yatra," Ramesh said.

"The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi all respect Manmata ji. And they know that we have to defeat communal forces and it is important that she should be a partner of the opposition alliance," he said.