National News
Rahul criticises the BJP at the beginning of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, saying, “India is inclusive, not a singular idea”
According to the Congress leader, the purpose of the yatra was to listen to the Indian people. Despite the agencies at the BJP's disposal, the opposition, he continued, is not intimidated by it.
Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Congress, introduced the “Bharat Jodo Yatra” on Wednesday at the meeting point of the three seas in Kanyakumari. He said that India is not the “imposition of one idea” on its people, but rather the history, language, and culture of each individual living in the country.
Rahul will begin his 3,570 kilometre yatra to “unite” and “strengthen” the nation on Thursday with 120 other yatris in tow.
Speaking to supporters who had travelled from states including Telangana, Assam, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu, he said that the flag represented “our identity, not just as a nation, not just as states, but as every single Indian citizen.”
“Today, the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] and the RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh] are attacking every single institution. They believe that this flag is theirs alone. They believe that they alone can decide how this nation’s citizens and its states will develop in the future, he continued.
“They believe that by utilising the ED [Enforcement Directorate], the CBI [Central Bureau of Investigation], and the Income Tax, they can intimidate the opposition. The issue is that they do not comprehend Indians. No matter how many hours they spend being questioned, not a single opposition leader will be afraid of the BJP.
According to Rahul, the purpose of the “Bharat Jodo Yatra” is to listen to the Indian people. “We want to hear the wisdom of the Indian people.”
Rahul claimed that the nation was going through its “worst” economic crisis. “The BJP government has consistently attacked the country’s farmers, labourers, and small and medium-sized companies. The country is currently ruled by a small number of large corporations. Airports, coal, power, telecom, ports — every single industry is controlled by a handful of businesses,” he said.
The Congressman visited the Gandhi Mandapam in Kanyakumari an hour before the event, where Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M. K. Stalin gave him a tricolour.
Stalin tweeted that Rahul Gandhi had started a path “to recover India’s spirit, to preserve the lofty values of our republic, and to unite the people of our country with love.” He referred to the Thiruvalluvar statue, saying, “There can be no better spot than Kumari, where the statue of Equality stands tall, to commence #BharatJodoYatra.”
Rahul Gandhi went to a prayer gathering at the Rajiv Gandhi memorial in Sriperumbudur earlier in the day. “I lost my father to the politics of hate and division. I will not lose my beloved country to it too. Love will conquer hate. Hope will defeat fear. Together, we will overcome,” he tweeted.
Jebraj Paul, 68, waited for the Congress leader to arrive at the rally’s location with his wife and daughter. ThePrint quoted him as saying, “Ideally, I would have liked to walk beside Rahul all the way to Kashmir, but my health won’t enable me.”
Paul claimed that he had been active in the Congress party since he was a little child. “I would like to make some kind of contribution to the Congress, the party that helped to mould me. In Rahul, I see an honest man who is trying to do good,” he added. “I didn’t know Nehru, and like many people, I misread Indira Gandhi’s audacity.
The sexagenarian claimed that reestablishing contact with the populace was the only action remaining to take. The only option moving forward is that. should mix with individuals and learn what they require,” he stated. Even today’s prime minister would not have won office without the support of the nation’s citizens, who are not gullible.
Ten members of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee were seated elsewhere during the gathering and were watching Rahul’s address.
According to general secretary of the Pradesh Congress Committee Bipul Gogoi, “We are visiting Kanyakumari for the first time, and the weather is extremely similar to Assam.”
“It is crucial that we engage the public in conversation about and understanding issues related to unemployment and inflation. When you consider the GST [Goods and Services Tax] levied on goods, it almost seems as like it is against some foods that are fundamental to Assamese culture. Therefore, it seems like a GST increase against Indian and Assamese culture, he remarked.
A couple who had travelled from Tirunelveli on their motorcycle and announced themselves as ardent members of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam sat behind them (DMK). “People are well informed about the political climate in this nation. Since people will benefit much from uniting in opposition to a shared cause, this event is extremely vital, according to private taxi driver Suba Nandaraj.
