Rahul's Voter Adhikar Yatra to end with Patna march on Monday after 16 days, covering 110 seats
Patna (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav and other Mahagathbandhan leaders will hold a foot march here on Monday, marking the culmination of their Voter Adhikar Yatra that covered about 1300 km and passed through over 110 assembly constituencies in what was seen as a prelude to a high-octane assembly polls campaign in the state.
Gandhi, Yadav, CPI-ML's Dipankar Bhattacharya and Vikassheel Insan Party's Mukesh Sahani travelled together in an open jeep throughout the Yatra as they displayed unity and took the message of alleged "vote chori" to different corners of the state.
"Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhor" slogans reverberated as the Yatra navigated through 25 districts of the state with the leaders addressing gatherings daily at various points in which the messaging was unambiguous - alleging that "the Election Commission and the BJP are colluding to steal votes through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar".
"The Voter Adhikar Yatra will conclude with a massive Yatra in Patna, from Gandhi Maidan to Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Statue, Ambedkar Park, giving a fitting culmination to a Yatra that has touched millions," Congress general secretary in-charge organisation K C Venugopal said on X.
"The people of Bihar have given unprecedented support to the Voter Adhikar Yatra embarked upon by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi ji, Ex-deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav ji and the entire Mahagathbandhan," he said.
For a state that has seen historic deprivation and hardships, the threat of their one true power -- the right to vote -- being stolen was unimaginable, Venugopal said.
"The fear they had in their hearts needed comforting, and the Yatra came in as a ray of hope against the blatant destruction of democracy being orchestrated in the name of SIR," he said.
Spanning 25 districts, visiting over 110 assembly constituencies and covering more than 1300 km, this Yatra has been a "milestone in Bihar's rich history of people's movements", the Congress leader said.
"Respected leaders from across the country who believed in our cause joined and gave greater strength - including sitting CMs of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, as well as other senior leaders like Akhilesh ji and Priyanka Gandhi ji," he said.
The Yatra had its share of controversy as well with a row erupting after a purported video showed a person using a Hindi expletive against Modi from a dais during the yatra in Darbhanga town, from where Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Vadra and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had left for Muzaffarpur on motorcycles last Wednesday.
Workers and leaders of the BJP and the Congress also clashed in Patna during a protest march taken out by the ruling party in protest against the alleged use of abusive language for Prime Minister Modi.
The Congress accused the BJP of "attacking" and "vandalising" its Sadaqat Ashram headquarters here.
On the last day of the third-leg of the Yatra on ahead of its conclusion in Patna, Rahul Gandhi asserted that his Voter Adhikar Yatra' was a "revolution" that began in Bihar, aimed at ensuring "not one vote is stolen" in elections, but would spread out to the entire country.
The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha made the remarks addressing a rally in Arrah, the headquarters of Bhojpur district.
"Bihar is a land where revolutions have taken place. The response to the Voter Adhikar Yatra has proved that another revolution has begun from Bihar. In the days to come, this will engulf the whole country," Gandhi had said.
Throughout the Yatra, Gandhi trained his guns at the Centre and alleged that Prime Minister Modi and the BJP-RSS serve the interests of the super rich.
"Remember, if your vote is stolen, you will be robbed of your future. Your right to vote has been bestowed upon you by the Constitution, which is the embodiment of the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar. We must protect it," Gandhi's message throughout the Yatra stated.
At many places, Gandhi, who has throughout donned his trademark white T-shirt and cargo pants, also made it a point to carry a "gamcha" around his neck, much like residents of the hinterland.
The yatra was undertaken in hybrid mode but mostly by vehicle. It started on August 17 from Sasaram and passed through Aurangabad, Gaya Ji, Nawada, Nalanda, Lakhisarai, Munger, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnea, Araria, Supaul, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Chhapra and Ara.
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23-year-old woman found dead at Delhi home; suicide suspected
New Delhi (PTI): A 23-year-old woman was found dead in her house in Delhi's Prem Nagar area, with police suspecting it to be a case of suicide, an official said on Tuesday.
The deceased, identified as Anjali Singh, was found motionless in her room on Monday by her sister and her neighbour.
Police said her father, Vinod Kumar Singh (51), told them that he and his wife were away at work at the time of the incident, while their son and the other daughter were also not at home at the time of the incident.
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According to the family, the room in which Anjali was found was locked from the inside. The door was later forcibly opened by a neighbour and her sister with the help of a crowbar.
Her body was found lying on the bed inside the room, police said.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that Anjali had allegedly hanged herself using a piece of cloth tied to the ceiling fan.
It is suspected that the noose eventually might have loosened or torn off, resulting in her being found lying on the bed.
Family members informed the police that Anjali was a final-year student of a librarian science course from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). About a week ago, her final-year examination results were declared, and she had failed, following which she had been under depression, they said.
The family has not raised any allegation of foul play, police said, adding that no suicide note or external injury marks were found on the body during the initial inspection.
Inquest proceedings have been initiated in the matter as per the law. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination to ascertain the exact cause of death, and further investigation is underway, police added.
