Kamal likely to walk with Rahul Gandhi to Raj Ghat during ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’

The actor says the Congress leader invited him as an Indian and not as a leader of a party

Makkal Needhi Maiam founder and actor Kamal Haasan, who is scheduled to walk with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Saturday, is likely to visit Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial, Raj Ghat.

In a video message, Mr. Haasan said that Mr. Gandhi had invited him to participate in the “Bharat Jodo Yatra”.

“He invited me as an Indian, not as a leader of a party. He had mentioned me as a ‘fellow citizen’. As Indians, we have to reclaim the ethos of the country that we are losing. I see this as an opportunity to do it. This is a yatra for the nation beyond the party affiliations,” he said.

The two are likely to participate in a chat similar to the one Mr. Gandhi had with former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan recently.

It is learnt that Praveen Chakravarthy, chairman, Data Analytics, INC, had met Mr. Haasan in Chennai in October and discussed the idea of him participating in the “Bharat Jodo Yatra”. Mr. Haasan, who supported the yatra, had reportedly agreed immediately.

Mr. Haasan had met Mr. Gandhi soon after the 2021 Assembly poll debacle in Delhi organised by Mr. Chakravarthy where Mr. Gandhi reportedly advised Mr. Haasan not to “lose heart” and continue the fight.

When contacted, Mr. Chakravarthy refused to share specific details but said, “They have mutual respect and share a common vision of a pluralistic, harmonious and socially just nation.”