Tiranga under attack by BJP, RSS, says Rahul
Facing desertion from the party and its sinking support base, the Congress on Wednesday launched its ambitious Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari, the land’s end at the southern tip of the country.
At the launch of the yatra, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin handed over a Tiranga to senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who will lead the yatra over the next five months across 12 States, covering 23.5 kilometres every day. However, the yatra will not cover poll-bound Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the two States that are going to the polls later this year.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Tamil Nadu’s Congress chief CD Meyyappan and a galaxy of stars from the Congress, were present on the occasion.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, who is out of the country, in a message said, “In view of the medical check-ups that I am undergoing, I regret my inability to be with all of you in person this momentous evening to launch the historic Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. This is a landmark occasion for our great party with such a glorious legacy — the Indian National Congress. I am confident that our organisation will be rejuvenated.”
She described it as a transformational moment in Indian politics. “I especially want to congratulate some 120 of our colleagues who will complete the entire padyatra that is about 3,600 kilometers long. There will be hundreds and thousands of others who will join the yatra in different states and I extend my greetings to them as well. Speaking for myself, I will be participating in the Bharat Jodo Yatra
daily in thought and spirit.
I will, of course, be seeing
the Yatra Live as it progresses. So, let us move forward united and firm in our resolve,” she added.
Addressing a well attended public rally at Kanyakumari, Rahul came down heavily on the BJP Government at the Centre, which he alleged was disintegrating the country by inculcating hatred and fear among the people.
Rahul said the tricolour belongs to every religion, State and language, but it is under attack today by the BJP and the RSS that are dividing India on lines of religion and language. The former Congress president said every single institution of the country is under attack as he sought the support of people to help keep the country united.
“Our tricolour guarantees the right to practice any religion of choice, but today this flag is under attack,” Rahul Gandhi said at the rally.
He said the tricolour did not come easily as it was earned by Indians of every religion, region and language.
Rahul also alleged that India is facing its worst-ever economic crisis along with the highest unemployment rate ever and the country is headed towards disaster.
“This is our effort to soothe the hurt sentiments of the people of India by the BJP during the last eight years. You will see a rejuvenated Congress after the completion of this yatra by Rahul Gandhi,” said C D Meyyappan.
The five- month-long Yatra would traverse 3,500 kms before culminating at Srinagar. Senior leaders of the Congress including K Sudhakaran, VD Satheeshan and Shasi Tharoor were in attendance at the venue where the choir of Congress party recited some of the all time favourite hymns of Mahatma Gandhi.
Stalin handed over the national flag to Rahul Gandhi at the stroke of 5 pm. The next two days will see the Congress boss travelling across the southern districts before entering Kerala. The day began with the All India Youth Congress endorsing a resolution demanding that Gandhi should take over as the president of the party.
Outspoken party leader from Bihar Kanhaiya Kumar claimed the BJP’s 1990 Rath Yatra was for seeking “satta (power)”, but the Congress’ ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ is for “satya (truth)”. Kumar, who has been classified as a ‘Bharat Yatri’ by the party and is slated to walk the entire 3,570-km distance of the Kanyakumari to Kashmir Yatra, said the Congress’ initiative is not solely political.
Asked about how this Yatra was different from the ones undertaken in the past such as the LK Advani-led Rath Yatra in 1990, Kanhaiya Kumar said, “That was a political yatra. That was for satta, this is for satya.” Advani’s Rath Yatra in 1990 had triggered a mass movement in support of building a Ram temple in Ayodhya which brought the BJP political dividends.
The yatras will be carried out in other states as ‘sub-yatras’ and will keep on moving northwards, passing through Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Nilambur, Mysuru, Bellary, Raichur, Vikarabad, Nanded, Jalgaon, Indore, Kota, Dausa, Alwar, Bulandshahr, Delhi, Ambala, Pathankot and Jammu, before culminating in Srinagar. Those participating in the yatra have been classified as “Bharat Yatris”, “Atithi Yatras”, “Pradesh Yatris” and “Volunteer Yatris”. The tagline of the yatra is “Mile Kadam, Jude Watan”.