As Yatra nears end, Rahul says Oppn united against RSS, BJP
SRINAGAR: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the face of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, said on Sunday that the march has given an “alternative vision” of politics, asserting that Opposition parties will “fight together” in the ideological war against the BJP and the RSS, as the yatra drew to a close in Srinagar after covering 3,800km in 135 days.
Seventy-five years after then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru unfurled the national flag at Lal Chowk, Gandhi hoisted the Tricolour in the heart of Srinagar on Sunday afternoon, marking the culmination of the country’s longest foot march that started from Kanyakumari on September 7, 2022. Later, Gandhi said he has more plans to continue the public outreach.
Gandhi’s assertion of Opposition unity came a day before a mega Opposition rally in Srinagar to mark the culmination of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
The rally, however, will be skipped by key parties including allies. The JD(U), the Congress’s partner in the Bihar government, former allies such as JD(S), Trinamool Congress and the CPI(M), which recently announced a pact with the Congress in Tripura, are set to skip the event.
Asked if the absence of these parties at the rally on Monday signals a division in Opposition ranks, Gandhi said: “On what basis can you say Opposition is divided? Opposition unity will come after talks and through a common vision. To say that the Opposition is divided is not right. It is true that there are differences, but the Opposition will fight unitedly, and will stand together as if it is an ideological fight. On one side is the BJP-RSS and on the other side there are NON-RSS-BJP forces.”
While JD(U) and JD(S) wrote letters to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, expressing their inability to come, Trinamool Congress leaders underlined that it is not a programme of the Congress chief but “an effort to highlight Rahul Gandhi’s achievement”.
A senior Congress leader said, “We have tried to convince CPI(M) to come. But they haven’t confirmed their presence.”
As the padayatra came to an end, Gandhi, who walked the entire 3,800km, said, “The yatra has ended but it’s just the beginning. I have learnt many things, met millions of people. I have no words to describe my emotions.”
He described the yatra as his “deepest and most beautiful” experience, and quipped that no one expected such a good response, adding that he has a few ideas on how to take it forward. “The common people outnumbered the Congress leaders during the walk. This yatra has given an alternative vision. The BJP-RSS vision is of hatred. Our vision is ‘mohabbat ki dukan’ and brotherhood. India has two roads. Our road is like a way of life. This is the first step. We will take more action,” Gandhi said.
Gandhi said he could directly see the resilience of Indians, could listen to farmers, workers and other sections of society, and concluded, “I saw no one was happy. The central issues being raised in J&K are similar to the rest of the country. Unemployment, corruption, and divisiveness were the key issues we faced during the yatra.”
Gandhi dodged specific answers as to what will be the future plan of action. He said he has “a few ideas” and believes that “the political class has created distance with the people”.
On Sunday, Gandhi and other yatris resumed their journey from Pantha Chowk and went to Sonawar Chowk before gathering at Lal Chowk amid tight security to hoist the national flag. The flag, Congress leaders said, will be placed atop a permanent structure at the Congress office.