New Delhi: The Mahila Shakti March on November 19, when several women MPs, MLAs and party functionaries will walk along with Rahul Gandhi to mark the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, will send out a loud message among the people, Lok Sabha member from Tamil Nadu S Jothimani told ETV Bharat in an exclusive interview on Friday.
“We have invited all our women MPs, MLAs, party functionaries, and ordinary women from across the country to participate in the yatra tomorrow. The numbers are not important here. The focus is on messaging. The former Prime Minister connected with people all her life. She was a hope for the masses. The yatra is evoking similar feelings now. Hence, a women’s march on November 19 would be an appropriate tribute to the late Indira Gandhi,” Jothimani said.
“What has impressed me as a woman is that thousands of ordinary women of all age groups came and supported the yatra all along the route so far. They walked beside Rahul. Some of them even cried. I do not know why? Maybe, it was an old wound in their hearts which got a healing touch. Usually, women don’t feel comfortable with male politicians who usually don’t give so much space to females. But this yatra has been different,” she said.
According to the Lok Sabha MP, who is part of a special panel coordinating the yatra, she was not part of the 120 permanent Bharat Yatris initially but got moved by the public response to the foot march and decided to join the group after the Kerala leg.
“Initially, walking 25 km every day looked very difficult. I suffered from fatigue, I got blisters on my soles, and even got a lung infection due to dust. But I kept going. It is not about physical fitness but more about mental strength which pushes you to go on. I was also inspired by the other women Bharat Yatris who are braving it out. Now I stay in the containers like them. We celebrate together. The journey so far has been very enriching as such an experience is also spiritually elevating,” Jothimani said.
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According to the Tamil Nadu leader, the ongoing yatra is bringing out the best in the participants. “Half of my thought process has gone. The diversity of our country in terms of the landscape, food and culture is amazing and beyond politics. Yet the yatra is political in a way as it is about connecting with the people. I am happy to be a part of it. Nobody now wants to take a break and we may even have withdrawal symptoms once the yatra ends,” she said.
According to the Lok Sabha member, the November 19 march would be a counter to the ruling BJP as no political party other than the Congress gives such space to women and works for their empowerment.
“The BJP is a patriarchal party. They show scant regard for women. They believe women are only for bearing children. It is unfortunate that there is a lot of violence against women in the country. This is a social issue and should never be politicized but it was for the first time that we saw a political party supporting the rapists of Bilkis Bano,” she said.
On the recent release of six killers of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, including a woman Nalini, the Lok Sabha MP said that though she respected the process of law, the court should have factored in that it was not the former Prime Minister alone who was killed in the human suicide bomb attack but several others too.
“We respect the legal proceedings but the killers should not be celebrated. They are Rajiv Gandhi’s killers but 10 more people were killed along with the former Prime Minister. Maybe the Supreme Court granted them mercy but they have not been absolved of the crime,” she said.
According to the Congress leader, the Centre now filing a review petition against the SC order in the case is an example of late realization and has been done under public pressure. “Why did they not think of this earlier? They should have taken such a stand in the court earlier. They have taken a U-Turn. They have filed a review petition under public pressure as people came out against the order in Tamil Nadu,” said Jothimani.
On the recent threat by a BJP leader that the yatra should be stopped, the Congress leader said, “The yatra has revealed the real Rahul Gandhi despite the BJP’s campaign against him for years. They are afraid that a larger truth may prevail by the time the yatra comes to an end. But nothing can stop that man. He is not a coward like them and has a lot of commitment and courage,” Jothimani said.
