Bharat Jodo Yatra: New Semiotics for Indian Politics

Abstract

Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY) may ignite the hope for the future course of the Indian nation as it is the biggest mass contact programme by the Indian National Congress since the last few decades. Literally it aimed at joining-up of India but it had larger implications for transforming the current political narrative because people from different walks of life voluntarily participated in the said pada yatra expressing extensive mass solidarity across states. The fact whether the Yatra could succeed in achieving its political purpose is too early to assess but the surge of new ideas unleashed by BJY may be considered as a serious course correction for modern Indian politics. This study is a humble endeavour to explore how Rahul Gandhi’s BJY emerged as a new semiotics to navigate Indian politics towards a veritable change for better tomorrow.