On the heels of her discharge by a court in a 10-year old criminal case, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti will launch a 16-day 'Tirange Yatra' from Hubli in Karnataka to Jallianwallah Bagh in Punjab on September 10, Bharatiya Janata Party sources said.
The yatra would cover Dharwad, Kittur, Bidar, Gulbarga, Belgaum, Bagalkot and Bijapur in Karnataka before entering Maharashtra, the sources said.
Bharti had tried to hoist the national flag at the disputed Idgah maidan in Hubli defying curfew in 1994 as part of a BJP-led stir. She was charged with various offences, including attempt to murder, following the violence. A Hubli court on Monday discharged her in the case.
Sources said Bharti would launch her yatra by garlanding the statue of Rani Chenamma (1778-1829), queen of Kittur in the princely state of Belgaum in Karnataka, who had fought against the British.
A day-long meeting of BJP central office bearers in Delhi also charted the roadmap for what it described as 'Andaman Satyagraha' on September 21 at Port Blair and nationwide 'mass protests' from September 21 to 25 to protest the 'disrespect' shown to freedom fighter Veer Savarkar and demand removal of 'tainted ministers', among others.
The party decisions come two days after Bharti allowed a court in Hubli allowed withdrawal of a 10-year old criminal case filed against Bharti in connection with the violence during the BJP-led stir for hoisting the national flag at Idgah Maidan in Hubli in 1994.
Briefing reporters, party spokesman Arun Jaitley said the 'yatra' beginning at Hubli will traverse through parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan before reaching Jallianwalla Bagh in Punjab.
Responding to a question about Bharti's reinstatement as Madhya Pradesh chief minister, he said, "Party president M Venkaiah Naidu and she had spoken about it and the status quo continues. Bharti has been drafted for a labourous Tiranga Yatra."
