No, Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' Wasn't Stopped For PFI Protests in Kerala

INC's declaration of a rest day for the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' predates the PFI protests.

Fact-check: Two unrelated events are falsely linked together to take a dig at the PFI and the Congress.

(Photo: The Quint)

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided over 93 locations linked to the extremist Islamic organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) and arrested over 100 of its members on 22 September.

A day later, violence broke out at Kerala's Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, Kollam, and Wayanad that led to widespread vandalism and the arrest of over 500 people.

In the backdrop of this, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra claimed that the Congress halted its 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', which is passing through Kerala, in support of the strike called in by the PFI.

However, the two events are unrelated. 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' has a scheduled weekly off. The declaration for 23 September to be a rest day predates the protests linked to PFI.

CLAIM

Several social media users including Mishra and Vishva Hindu Parishad leader Prachi Sadhvi shared the claim to take a dig at the Congress and the PFI.

Mishra said in his tweet in Hindi, "PFI and Islamic Jihadi organizations called for strike today and Congress stopped its 'yatra' today. Nothing can be more disgusting and shameful than this (sic)."

(Note: Swipe to see the screenshots)

An archive can be seen here. 

An archive can be seen here. 

Similar claims can be seen here and here.

WHAT WE FOUND

While going through the official Twitter account of the Congress Party, we came across a tweet which mentioned something about a 'rest day' on 23 September.

We also found a LIVE video from 20 September 2022 with a title that read 'LIVE: Congress Party Briefing by Shri @Jairam_Ramesh on #BharatJodoYatra in Kerala'.

In this video, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said:

"23 (September) is a rest day. We normally walk for seven days and rest for one day. So, 23 is a rest day, 29 is the last day in Kerala. 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' would have spent 18 days in Kerala."

Jairam Ramesh, Congress leader

We also found another tweet from 20 September by the Congress that clarified that 23 September would be a rest day.

The declaration of this day to be a 'rest day' predates the PFI strike and even the NIA and ED raids.

Congress leader and head of media and publicity Pawan Khera tweeted a reply to Mishra to dismiss the claim.

He said that the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' takes a one day break every week and the last break was executed on 15 September 2022.

Upon checking the Congress' Twitter account, we also came across a tweet about 15 September being a rest day.

Clearly, two unrelated events are being falsely linked together to take a dig at the PFI and the Congress.

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