New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Tamil Nadu on Tuesday recalled the initiation of ‘Ekta Yatra’ in December 1991 for promoting national unity and integrity, saying the 31-year-old ‘dream’ now stands realised.
While PM Modi recalled the launch of Ekta Yatra more than 30 years ago, starting from Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari and culminating in Jammu and Kashmr, pictures of the march surfaced on X, formerly Twitter.
The Modi Archive shared photos of ‘Ekta Yatris’ on X, including Narendra Modi and the then BJP top brass hitting the streets from Kanyakumari and eventually unfurling the national flag at the Lal Chowk in Srinagar.
“Narendra Modi, then a BJP karyakarta, along with fellow Ekta Yatris, symbolically carried soil from Tamil Nadu and other states on their journey to unite India. Their mission culminated in the historic moment when the flag was hoisted in Kashmir on January 26, 1992,” the X handle said.
PM Modi, addressing a huge gathering in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, said, “The yatra was started from Kanyakumari. It had two aims and both stands fulfilled now. The Tricolour is flying high with pride at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk, and Article 370 has been revoked.”
For the uninitiated, the Ekta Yatra, also called the Unity March, was led by veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi and was organised by Narendra Modi, then a BJP worker.
The goal of the Yatra was to send across a strong message to the world that India would stand firm and united against the forces of terror.
The journey spanning 14 states resonated deeply with the people and showed the country’s unwavering commitment to national unity.
“The Yatra faced major disruptions in Punjab as it came under attack by terror elements, but it was at the insistence of Narendra Modi that the yatris reached Kashmir for the final goal,” said Deepak Shah, who took part in the Yatra.
–IANS