BJP’s U-turn on ‘Jan Aakrosh Yatra’ suspension, says yatra will continue in Rajasthan

Jaipur: Hours after announcing the suspension of its ‘Jan Aakrosh Yatra’ in Rajasthan in view of the Covid-19 surge globally, the Bharatiya Janta Party on Thursday said it will continue the yatra. BJP general secretary Arun Singh while announcing the suspension of the yatra had said, “The BJP has suspended Jan Aakrosh Yatra in Rajasthan in the wake of rising number of COVID-19 cases. For the BJP, people come first before politics. For us the safety of people, their health is priority,” Singh said. Describing the Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra as a “morning and evening walk”. Taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his Bharat Jodo Yatra, Singh said he should follow the Covid-19 guidelines as we did. “The safety of people is most important”, the BJP MP said while talking to reporters.

BJP chief J P Nadda launched the ‘Jan Aakrosh Yatra’ in Rajasthan sto corner the Ashok Gehlot government on issues related to farmers and governance with an eye on the Assembly polls due next year.

Also read: A message to Bharat Jodo Yatra: BJP suspends ‘Jan Aakrosh Yatra’ in Rajasthan amid surge in Covid-19 cases globally

Rajasthan BJP President Satish Poonia also changed his stand hours later after tweeting about the postponement of the yatra. Poonia had tweeted at 3.04 p.m.: “Corona is again spreading its wings in the world. In such a situation, we have stopped the `Jan Aakrosh Yatra` for the time being. In the future, again under the new strategy, BJP will go among the people and raise their voice against the misrule of the Congress government. At present, due to the instructions of the Central government, we have postponed the Yatra.”

We halted our ‘Jan Aakrosh Yatra’ in Rajasthan…Rahul Gandhi should follow Covid19 guidelines. The safety of people is most important: BJP MP Arun Singh, at Parliament in Delhi pic.twitter.com/IRDgtew1CO
— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2022

At 5.38 p.m., Poonia again tweeted: “At present, no guidelines have been issued by the Centre or the state government regarding Corona. In such a situation, there was some confusion regarding the postponement of the Yatra. For the time being, it has been decided not to postpone the Yatra. Our `Jan Aakrosh Yatra` will continue. However, the Corona protocols will be taken care of at the meetings to be held during the Yatra. At the same time, the journey will not be postponed until a guideline is issued by the Centre or the state.”

जब तक केंद्र और राज्य द्वारा कोई एडवाइज़री जारी नहीं होती है तब तक @BJP4Rajasthan की जन आक्रोश सभाएँ पूर्व निर्धारित कार्यक्रम के अनुसार आयोजित होंगी, लेकिन #COVID की सामान्य सावधानी का पालन अवश्य किया जाना चाहिए। pic.twitter.com/5LHsAfCZGC
— Satish Poonia (@DrSatishPoonia) December 22, 2022

Leader of the opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, Gulabchand Kataria, had also told the party workers not to gather in large numbers as he cautioned them against the virus.

In a statement on Wednesday, Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said the Union health minister has written to Gandhi on the basis of a letter sent to him by a BJP MP from Rajasthan who alleges that Bharat Jodo Yatra has not been following Covid protocols.

Reacting to Mandaviya’s letter, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the government is coming up with “excuses” to stop the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’. 

#WATCH | …It’s their (BJP) new idea, they wrote a letter to me saying COVID is coming & stop the Yatra. All these are excuses to stop this Yatra, they are scared of India’s truth: Rahul Gandhi on Union Health min’s letter pertaining to Covid protocols in Bharat Jodo Yatra pic.twitter.com/BCzziH2n06
— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2022

This yatra will go to Kashmir. Now, they have come out with a new idea. They wrote me a letter that Covid was spreading, stop the yatra,” Gandhi said while addressing a gathering in Ghasera village in Haryana’s Nuh district.

“Now, they are coming up with excuses to stop the yatra. Wear masks, stop the yatra, Covid is spreading, these are all excuses,” he said.

Ever since, Congress leaders in the state have been raising questions over BJP`s `Jan Aakrosh Yatra` in Rajasthan.

(With IANS inputs)