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The ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi crossed the capital evoking an enthusiastic response from a large number of party workers and people from various walks of life on its fifth day on Monday.
The rally resumed its 3,570-km rally from the Vellayani junction on the outskirts of the Thiruvananthapuram city and traversed nearly 25 km to halt at Kazhakuttom for the day. During the padayatra, Mr. Gandhi found time to interact with several people including the next-of-kin of the fishermen who drowned off the Muthalapozhi harbour recently when the rally reached Killipalam.
The excitement was palpable among several youngsters who received the opportunity to interact with the Congress leader. Enthusiasm was writ large on the faces of a group of boys who took an impromptu break from their game of football to chat with Mr. Gandhi. Arjuna award-winning athlete Padmini Thomas was among the noted personalities who joined the rally at Palayam.
While Mr. Gandhi was accompanied by party leaders K.C. Venugopal, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan, Shashi Tharoor, K. Muraleedharan, Kodikunnil Suresh, among others, the padayatra was received by veteran leader A.K. Antony who walked along with them for a short distance at Ulloor.
Mr. Gandhi paid floral tributes at Martyrs’ Column at Palayam and also prayed at the Chattambi Swami memorial at Kannammoola.
During the mid-day halt at St. Mary’s School at Pattom, he held a meeting over lunch with technocrats, religious, and socio-cultural leaders. The attendees included noted filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan; Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis, head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church; Santhigiri Ashram general secretary Swami Gururethnam Jnana Thapaswi; Palayam Imam V.P. Suhaib Moulavi; Thiruvananthapuram Archbishop (Latin rite) Thomas J. Netto; Technopark founder-chief executive officer G. Vijayaraghavan; economist Mary George; and cultural activist Soorya Krishnamoorthy.
Mr. Gandhi also met the representatives of the Latin Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram that spearheads the agitation against the Vizhinjam international seaport project. Emerging from the discussion, action council convener Eugene H. Pereira said the Congress leader listened to their concerns and sought the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC)’s opinion on their demand to stop the port construction.
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