UP Cong to kick-off 'Aarakshan Bachao Yatra' from Meerut

New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh unit of the Congress will kick-off an 'Aarakshan Bachao Yatra' from Meerut on Tuesday which will be flagged off by state president Ajay Kumar Lallu and Chhattigarh in-charge P.L. Punia.

The yatra starting from Meerut will pass through Sambhal, Agra, Orai, Barabanki, Rae Bareli, Kaushambi, Allahabad, Azamgarh and will culminate at Gorakhpur on March 5.

Pradeep Narwal, the yatra in-charge, said: "The motive of the yatra is to make Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath understand that the BJP cannot take away the reservation from us. A big public event will also be organised on the culmination of this yatra in Gorakhpur."

During the yatra three people, all belonging to the Backward Classes, will be present including Tanuj Punia and Alok Kumar Pasi, the state president of the Scheduled Caste department.

"We will march on foot in each city, create awareness about the recent judgement of the Supreme Court and take signatures of the people in support of the reservation," said Narwal.

The Congress is focussing on the SC, ST and OBC votes in the state. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, who is also the in-charge of the party unit, has been in the forefront while raising various issues. She has also been meeting the victims of alleged police brutality during the anti-CAA protests.