Digvijaya Singh's 'good morning' message, a daily wrap-up for Bharat Jodo Yatris
Between 4 am and 4:30 am every day, close to 150 Congress workers and leaders walking with Rahul Gandhi wake up to a “good morning” message, sometimes lengthy, from the senior leader Digvijaya Singh, one of the main brains behind the Kanyakumari to Kashmir ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.
A ‘sorry’ for a slip up , an assurance to do better, an update on the health of a leader who fell ill, a warning on harsh winter, an instruction to the core team on what to do next – the all-in-one message reaches everyone, from ‘Bharat yatris’ to coordinators’. Some joke, Singh wakes up first in the camp and his message is their morning alarm.
From lighting in a container where the yatris stay to the laundry, a holy place they could visit, concern over the unauthorised entry of someone and birthday wishes, the 75-year-old leader talks about everything about the yatra but does not shy away from touching up the party’s performance in elections too.
On Friday, Singh talked about the “difference” in the outcomes of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh results – "In HP, we had a leadership, organisation and will to fight, but in Gujarat we had demoralised leadership and poor organisation. Moral of the story – Lado, Himmat Rakho, Daro Mat. Ladenge aur Jeetenge (Fight. Be courageous. Do not fear. Fight and win)."
It was through these messages that the yatris knew about a break – for maintenance of containers they were staying in – after it reached Delhi from December 25 and January 2. For those who wanted to stay in Delhi, he assigned a middle-level leader to make arrangements.
His advice to them while taking the break at the year-end was to “reflect upon our experiences so far, gather our thoughts for the rest of the yatra and reconnect with our families albeit briefly”.
A recurring theme in his message during the last leg of yatra in Madhya Pradesh were the complaints about stomach infection. “People in Indore are foodies but I don’t understand why people are getting stomach infections,” he wondered while assuring them that he will review the matter with the food committee chairman and contractor.
“Dust and frequent stomach problems of Bharat yatris was a general complaint. My apologies,” Singh wrote on December 4. He was also disapproving of the entry of unauthorised persons in the camp site and said it has been a “regular feature from day one. “We have to be strict about it,” he said while agreeing with KB Byju, a former SPG man who is a close aide of Rahul.
When complaints about the quality of laundry were addressed, he messaged, “thanks for the improvement…never too late!!” When he missed a yatri’s birthday celebration, he noted, “missed your cake cutting.”
Whenever a yatri was admitted to a hospital or developed a health issue, Singh monitored their well being and informed yatris about their progress healthwise. After one of the yatris had a surgery on his finger, he told the yatris in early December that they were sending him to Bengaluru for rest for at least two weeks.
“He will join us after that. He was refusing to go but under medical advice we prevailed upon him to go. He will be taking a flight from Indore,” he had said. One day, he messaged the yatris, “any problem, I am a phone call away.”
His messages also have clues for yatris where to visit. While in Indore and Ujjain, he suggested the yatris to visit Omkareshwar, Mahakal, Bhairon Baba and Harsidhi Mata temples. Another suggestion was Valmiki Math.
Singh also has good words for local organisers. Complimenting organisers in Rajasthan, he wrote in one of his messages, “our first meal in Rajasthan was very good” as well as a “thank you” to Rajasthan state committee for the “very timely gift of razai (blankets).”
Minute things also do not escape Singh’s scrutiny. He wanted a coordinator to ensure that all yatris chosen from Madhya Pradesh walk with Rahul before the yatra left the state.
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