Amidst the factionalism in Rajasthan Congress, the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by former party chief Rahul Gandhi began its State sojourn from Jhalawar district on Monday, with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his arch rival, former deputy Sachin Pilot, in attendance. The 89th day of the yatra started from Kali Talai in Jhalrapatan, a rural area on the Rajasthan-Madhya Pradesh border. But this started nor before some fireworks between the Gehlot and Pilot supporters with their respective cadre scrambling to put posters across and section defacing Pilot’s posters in the Congress ruled state. The other notable leaders who accompanied Rahul Gandhi were AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee chief Govind Singh Dotasra, senior leader Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas.
Addressing a Press conference, Gehlot lashed out at the mainstream national media, claiming they have “boycotted” the yatra as editors and owners were under pressure. Gehlot claimed the media has completely failed to fulfil their responsibility as the fourth pillar of democracy, and history will not forgive them for that.
“Kaan khol kar sun lo…national media wale bhi. state media wale bhi. Itihas aapko maaf nahi karega!” he said. (“Listen carefully…national and state media, history will not forgive you).”
As the Rajasthan chief minister launched his tirade against the media, AICC general secretary (Communi-cation) Jairam Ramesh intervened to defend the journalists present there, saying they should not be blamed as they have been doing their job properly. However, he also lamented the coverage of the yatra in the mainstream was not as per their expectations.
Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ramesh charged that the possibility of India's division has increased due to his policies and that "political dictatorship" is becoming a reality.
"There are three challenges before the country which need to be fought. The possibility of division of India has increased due to the intention and policies of the prime minister. Economic disparity is rising and divisive ideology are the two other challenges," Ramesh said.
Ramesh said the Bharat Jodo Yatra was planned to raise various issues facing the people. He further said the yatra is not for winning elections and it is expected that it will activate and strengthen the party organisation.
On the BJP accusing the Congress of dividing India, he said the BJP doesn't deserve to raise such allegations as those who follow the ideology never played a role in the freedom struggle and in the making of the Constitution. He said the RSS has a divisive ideology and the BJP is expert in giving slogans, event management.
The Rajasthan chief minister further said the Bharat Jodo Yatra was attracting the attention of “the whole world” and the youth associated with it would prove to be an asset for Rahul Gandhi. He was referring to the 10 yatris who have accompanied Rahul Gandhi from the beginning of the yatra on September 7.
While Gehlot shared pictures on Twitter, Pilot took to the micro-blogging platform to convey that the yatra in the state started with a resolve to fulfil hopes and expectations of the youth.
Rajasthan is the only Congress-ruled state where the yatra has entered and will cover about 500 km passing through Jhalawar, Kota, Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, Dausa and Alwar districts over 17 days before entering Haryana on December 21. Rahul is scheduled to interact with farmers at Lalsot in Dausa on December 15 and address a public meeting at Malakheda in Alwar on December 19.