Bharat Jodo Yatra: Rahul interacts with Rajasthan civil society members

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met with Rajasthan's civil society members on Sunday during which a host of issues such as "communalisation" of education, right to health and food security were discussed.

The interaction took place in the afternoon break of the yatra that commenced from Kalakho here around 8 am after a day's break.

As the yatra began, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and senior leader Sachin Pilot walked alongside the former Congress chief.

Large crowds had gathered to greet the yatra participants in Dausa, known as a stronghold of former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Pilot. People had lined up along the entire route of the yatra to cheer the leaders.

Amid the ongoing power tussle between Gehlot and Pilot, slogans were raised in support of Pilot at several places as he walked beside Gandhi. At some places slogans in support of Gehlot were also raised.

Sachin Pilot and his father Rajesh Pilot have both been elected to Parliament from Dausa in the past.

Several people in the crowd said the Gehlot-Pilot rift needs to be sorted for the Congress to do well in the next assembly elections.

During the afternoon break, Rahul Gandhi met the representatives of civil society of Rajasthan.

"During the interaction, communalisation of education, right to health, food security, social security for gig workers, RTI were discussed. The civil society representatives gave 30 important suggestions for the state government," a party statement said.

Rahul Gandhi said that the issues on which the government and civil societies have agreed, will be acted upon immediately, while on the issues on which there is no consensus, they will be further deliberated upon.

Chief Minister Gehlot, who was present at the interaction, said those issues which can be included in the budget will be included.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi will address a rally in Alwar on Monday.

The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari, has traversed eight states -- Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan. It completed 100 days on Friday.

The yatra will enter Delhi on December 24, and after a break of about eight days, move on to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and finally, Jammu and Kashmir.

It has seen participation from a cross-section of society, including film and TV celebrities such as Pooja Bhatt, Riya Sen, Sushant Singh, Swara Bhasker, Rashami Desai, Akanksha Puri and Amol Palekar.

Besides participation from tinsel town celebrities, writers, military veterans, including former Navy chief admiral L Ramdas, Opposition leaders such as Shiv Sena's Aaditya Thackeray and the NCP's Supriya Sule, and former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, have also joined the march at various points.