Patna, Jan 5 (IANS): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday launched the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra in Bihar from Banka district.
On day one, Kharge traveled 7.5 km from the starting point at Mandar mountain in Banka district, accompanied by party's state President Akhilesh Singh, CLP leader Ajit Sharma, former state president Madan Mohan Jha, Congress state incharge Bhakta Charan Das and others.
On the occasion, Kharge said: "BJP is hurting the sentiments of Jain people by declaring Samved Shikhar Ji, Shatrujay mountain of Palitana and Girnar mountain tourist spots. Jain community is inspired by non-violence and Satyagraha of Mahatma Gandhi. Congress respects every religion. I demand from the Narendra Modi government to maintain the holiness of all Jain pilgrimage places of the country."
The Yatra will be completed by leaders of Congress's Bihar unit and national leaders will join it at different places.
Sources have said that senior leader Rahul Gandhi is expected to join Bharat Jodo Yatra when it reaches Patna, as by that time, his own Yatra will be completed.
The Congress Yatra will traverse 1,200 km across 17 districts in Bihar. Starting from Banka, it will go through Bhagalpur, Khagaria, Begusarai, Samastipur, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Patna, Bhojpur, Buxar, Kaimur, Rohtas, Aurangabad, and Gaya before terminating in Bodh Gaya.
The local wings of Congress party will also do similar Yatra in 21 districts as well.