A lively convoy led by a DJ truck playing a patriotic ’90s Bollywood song moves along dusty roads in Nuh, Haryana. About 100 people wearing garlands and waving the tricolour follow a chariot bearing a banner saying “Vande Bharat Ekta Yatra.” The padyatra began on November 27 from Shahpur Nangli village and plans to cover over 200 villages and 150 km across Mewat. The march celebrates local heroes like Raja Hasan Khan Mewati and promotes brotherhood. Motorcyclists and villagers greet the procession warmly, agreeing that "bhaichara" (brotherhood) is important. At Godhala village, Haryana official Mukesh Vashisth addressed the crowd, saying, “You might think that I have come to seek votes. But I have no such intention.” He praised Mewat’s culture and urged people to reflect on seven decades of political neglect that left their children without a university despite having five education ministers. Locals attending the padyatra, like Nasir Qureshi and Junaid, hope the rally will bring better education and jobs. Many see the padyatra as a boost to fight past communal stigma and bring attention to long-pending demands like the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway extension and a railway line. Women participate actively, a big change noted by lawyer Anjum Aslam, showing rising awareness. Organizer Vashisth denies any BJP agenda, calling the march a social effort to improve Mewat’s image and attract investment. However, some locals view the padyatra skeptically as a political move. Despite this, the event attracted attention by invoking both patriotic and regional pride. Nuh, with over 90% Meo Muslim population, has remained a Congress stronghold. The BJP has struggled to make inroads here after decades of political dominance by others. The Vande Bharat Ekta Yatra aims to awaken local youth and unite communities while spotlighting development challenges in one of Haryana’s most neglected districts.