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Hundreds of rural women who gathered to collect forms for a newly announced government scheme in Jorhat district of Assam left their queues to greet Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was leading the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' through the area on Thursday.
Gandhi reached Mariani town from neighbouring Sivasagar district around noon and saw hundreds of rural women standing in a queue at a government-controlled centre in Nakachari area to collect forms for the scheme.
Seeing Gandhi's convoy passing through, all the women left their lines and ran to the road to meet the Congress MP.
As soon as the convoy stopped and Gandhi came out of the bus, many women touched his feet but he tried to prevent them from doing so.
The women then sought to click pictures with him, which he readily agreed to. Gandhi spent some time with them and asked about their wellbeing, before proceeding further.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, who is accompanying Gandhi in the yatra, shared a video clip of the incident on social media platform X.
'Women assembled for a function organised by the Assam CM in Mariani spontaneously and enthusiastically met @RahulGandhi on Day 5 of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. NYAY for Assam has begun!' he added.
Addressing a press conference later in Puthinadi, Ramesh alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government is trying to make the yatra a flop show in Assam.
"Many obstacles have been created before us. However, Assam's youths, women and all other segments are listening to the message of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. They are looking forward to meeting Rahul Gandhi and listening to him," he added.
The Assam government on Thursday began the distribution of forms for a scheme to develop 40 lakh Self Help Group (SHG) members as rural micro-entrepreneurs at individual levels and help them become 'lakhpati baidews' (millionaire elder sister).
To avail the 'Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan', beneficiaries have to collect the application forms from the nearest panchayat office on specified dates and no photocopy of forms will be accepted.
The Congress alleged that the state government fixed dates for the distribution of forms in such a manner that it clashes with Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in the state.
The Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia wrote a letter to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in this regard, specifically mentioning his district Sivasagar from where the Assam leg began.
The government fixed January 18 as a date for form distribution in Sivasagar and neighbouring districts.
The yatra, led by the Congress MP, commenced from Manipur on January 14 and will culminate on March 20 in Mumbai.
The Assam leg of the march, which began on Thursday morning, will continue till January 25. It will travel 833 km in 17 districts.
The 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' is planned to cover 6,713 km in 67 days while passing through 110 districts in 15 states.