'Bharat Jodo Yatra' enters Alappuzha, Rahul to meet youngsters

ALAPPUZHA: The Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' led by Rahul Gandhi entered Alappuzha district on Saturday, the 7th day of its ongoing Kerala leg.

After having lunch and rest, Gandhi will interact with some youth on the unemployment issue and is scheduled to meet special school children among others in Kayamkulam.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people gathered on either side of the National Highway to greet Gandhi.

As the foot march crossed Kollam district, Congress workers were seen protesting against unemployment in the country by standing atop a building with their upper bodies painted 'National Unemployment Day'.

''42 per cent of youth in the age group of 20-24 years are unemployed. Even before the pandemic, India had the highest unemployment rate in 45 years. For the past few years, youth have been celebrating September 17 as 'National Unemployment Day'. #BharatJodoYatra Youth is moving in solidarity against the anti-Modi government,'' senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted.

Gandhi kick-started the 10th day of the yatra with thousands of party workers accompanying him, waving party flags.

The yatra covered a distance of around 12 km and entered Alappuzha district and took a break at Kayamkulam at around 11 am. It will resume at 5 pm and cover over eight kms before concluding for the day with a public meeting at Cheppad.

Senior Congress leaders Kodikkunnil Suresh, K Muraleedharan, K C Venugopal and Leader of Opposition in state Assembly V D Satheesan are accompanying Gandhi.

Gandhi had on Friday night called on spiritual leader, Mata Amritanandamayi, at her ashram near Karunagappally and shared pictures with her on Facebook.

''Fortunate to have met Amritanandamayi Maa at her ashram near Karunagappally, Kollam. Very impressed by the amazing work Amma's organisation has done toward helping the poor and the downtrodden. Offered my humble salutations and received her warm, love-filled hug in return!'' Gandhi said.

Ramesh had also tweeted an image of Gandhi and Amritanandamayi.

''At the end of a long day on the road @RahulGandhi met Mata Amritanandamayi in her ashram in Vallikavu. Her humble origins, the universal language of love and her unique form of darshan are synonymous to the message of #BharatJodoYatra,'' he had said in a tweet.

The Congress party's 3,570 km and 150-day long foot march started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 and will conclude in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which entered Kerala on September 10 evening, would traverse through the state covering 450 km, touching seven districts over a period of 19 days before entering Karnataka on October 1.