Amid chants of “Bharat Jodo” (unite India) on a chilly Saturday morning was 50-year-old Sufi Shahnawaz, who walked from his home in Jafrabad to make it to the Delhi leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Holding aloft the national flag as he walked towards Ashram Chowk, Mr. Shahnawaz said that he joined the yatra for one simple reason — “to end the growing hate in our country”.
Recalling the 2020 north-east Delhi riots, he said the horror unleashed by the large-scale violence was something that he had lived through, but he never expected those who were once friends to be divided on the lines of religion.
‘Spread love’
“Mosques, temples and people, all were attacked, and no concrete action was taken to ensure justice for the affected. This is a clear example of how hate has seeped into the social mindset. If anything, this yatra is a reminder that people need love, not hatred,” said Shahnawaz, as he teared up.
Most of those who joined the long walk — from Badarpur border to Red Fort — said their sole motivation to participate was to spread a simple message — “stop hate, spread love”. For many others, it was a way of showing their respect towards Rahul Gandhi, who has been spearheading the march that has already completed 100 days.
For 46-year-old Manoj Singh, a resident of Samaypur Badli, the walk came as a reminder of “what the Gandhi family has done for this country”.
“People forget that Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi died for this country. Rahul Gandhi walks with that pain. Hate is growing in our society, but during this walk, there is unity. This shows that not all hope is lost,” said Mr. Singh. As he paced towards Nizamuddin, he added, “Not just hate, there’s unemployment and rising prices. Just imagine how this affects the common citizen.”
Positive message
In Nizamuddin, as Mr. Gandhi visited the Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya Dargah, among the onlookers were a bunch of youngsters trying to catch a glimpse of the Congress MP. “All of us want a peaceful environment, and for him to visit the dargah is nothing short of a positive message,” said Danish, who along with his friend Ashok, quickly walked back to the main road upon noticing that Mr. Gandhi had resumed his walk.
Meanwhile, for Delhi Congress workers, the walk has brought some “much-needed” enthusiasm, with most stating that the “message of love will reflect in the 2024 elections”.
