Rahul kicks off over 6700 km long Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from violence-ridden Manipur

News Network

January 14, 2024

New Delhi, Jan 14: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday kicked off the party's mass outreach programme, Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, from Manipur's Thoubal, which aims to cover a distance of more than 6700 km across 15 states from Manipur to Mumbai ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Launching the Yatra, Rahul Gandhi came down heavily on the BJP over the recent ethnic clashes in the state that claimed scores of lives. The Congress MP said Manipur is an example of BJP's "politics of hatred" and said, "Maybe for Narendra Modi, BJP and RSS, Manipur is not part of India".

"After 29th June, Manipur wasn't Manipur anymore, it got divided and hatred was spread everywhere, lakhs of people suffered loss. People lost their loved ones in front of their eyes. And till now, the Indian PM has not come here to wipe your tears and hold your hand. It is a shameful thing. Maybe for PM Modi, BJP and RSS, Manipur is not a part of India," the Wayanad MP said.

He added that "Manipur has lost what it holds precious because of BJP's politics" and stated that "governance infrastructure has failed in Manipur, and shameful that PM hasn't visited the state".

"I'm in politics since 2004 and for the first time I visited a place in India where the entire infrastructure of governance has collapsed," the Congress leader said.

"Manipur is a symbol of BJP's politics, Manipur is a symbol of BJP and RSS's hatred. Manipur is a symbol of BJP's viewpoint and ideology," he added and also promised to "bring back harmony and peace for which Manipur was known".

"You (people) have lost what you have valued but we will find what you have valued once again and bring it back to you. We understand the pain the people of Manipur have been through. We understand the hurt, the loss and the sadness you have been through. We promise you that we will bring back what you have valued, we will bring back the harmony, the peace, the affection that this state has always been known for," he added.

The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, jointly flagged off by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and RahulGandhi, is being perceived as Congress's bid to set the narrative in the run-up to Lok Sabha elections, barely months away.

Explaining the issues to be discussed during the programme, Gandhi said, "Because we are enduring a period of profound injustice in India --social, economic and political. Injustice persists against people and traditions, with widespread issues across the nation. Economically, monopolies are forming; a few individuals have access to the nation's entire wealth. A couple of entities control all sectors, leading to the destruction of small businesses. India is grappling with inflation and unemployment. These are the issues that the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will raise."

The yatra will end on March 20 or 21 in Mumbai.

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Pak jail authorities say Imran Khan is alive and healthy after ‘murder’ rumours spark panic

News Network

November 27,2025

Authorities at Pakistan’s high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on Wednesday dismissed speculation about the condition of imprisoned former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, rejecting rumours that he had been moved out of the facility or was in danger. Officials said Khan was in “good health” and described the viral death claims as “baseless.”

“There is no truth to reports about his transfer from Adiala Jail,” the Rawalpindi prison administration said in a statement, according to Geo News. “He is fully healthy and receiving complete medical attention.”

Amid swirling rumours on social media, Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), urged the federal government to issue an official clarification and demanded that authorities allow his family to meet him immediately, Dawn reported.

The frenzy began after Khan’s three sisters called for an impartial probe into what they described as a “brutal” police assault on them and other PTI supporters outside Adiala Jail last week. Soon after, several social media handles circulated unverified claims alleging that Khan had been “killed” inside the prison.

The rumours intensified when a handle named “Afghanistan Times” claimed that “credible sources” had confirmed Khan’s “murder” and that his body had been moved out of the jail — allegations that have not been verified by any credible agency.

Imran Khan, PTI’s patron-in-chief, has been lodged in the Rawalpindi prison since August 2023 in multiple cases. For over a month, an undeclared restriction has prevented family members and senior PTI leaders from meeting him. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has reportedly been denied access despite making seven attempts.

In a letter to Punjab Police Chief Usman Anwar, Khan’s sisters — Noreen Niazi, Aleema Khan, and Dr. Uzma Khan — said they were “peacefully protesting” outside the jail when police allegedly launched an unprovoked assault after streetlights were switched off.

“At 71, I was seized by my hair, thrown to the ground and dragged across the road,” Noreen Niazi said, alleging that other women present were also slapped and manhandled.

Adiala Jail officials reiterated that speculation over Imran Khan’s health was unfounded and insisted that his well-being was being ensured, Geo News reported.

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