Meerut, Feb 25 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee President Ajay Kumar Lallu on Tuesday flagged off the 'Aarakshan Bachao Yatra' from Meerut.

The Yatra seeks to reaffirm the Congress commitment to the welfare of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and the need for reservation.

The Yatra, starting from Meerut, will pass through Sambhal, Agra, Orai, Barabanki, Rae Bareli, Kaushambhi, Prayagraj, Azamgarh and will culminate in Gorakhpur on March 5.

UPCC spokesman Anup Patel said, "The motive of the yatra is to make Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath understand that the BJP cannot take away reservations from us. A big public event will also be organized on the culmination of this yatra in Gorakhpur."

"We will march on foot in each city, create awareness about the recent judgement of the Supreme Court and take signatures of the people in support of the reservation," said Patel.

The Congress is focussing on the SC, ST and OBC votes in the state. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, who is also the in-charge of the party unit, has been raising various issues. She has also been meeting the victims of alleged police brutality during the anti-CAA protests.