Bharat Jodo Yatra will ensure govt. is held accountable on people's issues: Congress

Kanhaiya Kumar said price rise and unemployment were the two main common issues that came up in feedback from people during the Yatra

Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar adressing a Press Conference at the AICC in New Delhi ahead of the Gujarat elections. Photo: | Photo Credit: V.V. Krishnan

The Congress on Sunday said the Bharat Jodo Yatra has been successful in achieving its objective of raising people's issues and going forward it will ensure that the government is held accountable.

The Opposition party also asserted that "untruths" spread about Rahul Gandhi to malign his image have been "demolished" by the Yatra and his ''reality" has come to the fore before the country.

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar said the Yatra has been successful beyond expectations.

"When it started, there were a lot of questions about whether people would come or not or whether we will be able to cover 25 km every day. The last 60 days have passed in a jiffy now," he said.

"Yatris have gone beyond physical pain. The yatra has achieved its first objective. Yatris have become comfortable with the yatra, the yatra has become comfortable with the country and the country has become comfortable with yatra," said Mr. Kumar, one of the participants who would walk the full distance from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.

Yatra has achieved its first objective and people know that it is being undertaken to highlight their issues, he said.

It has to now move towards its second objective which is to make the government of the day accountable on issues of the people and country, Mr. Kumar said.

Asked if there has been a change in Rahul Gandhi's image due to the Yatra, Mr. Kumar said, "So much had been said about Rahul Gandhi. Reporters ask if his image will improve, I would say his reality will be before the people of the country."

"All the things that were said about Rahul Gandhi that he is not serious, will go abroad, will not walk, will go on a vacation, will not stay in a container, all this has ended. Crores were spent to malign his image, but his reality has been brought out just by walking on the road," Mr. Kumar said.

All these untruths created about him have been "demolished and proved baseless", he said, adding that Mr. Gandhi's reality is now visible to the people.

Mr. Kumar said price rise and unemployment were the two main common issues that came up in feedback from people during the Yatra.

He said the issue of protecting federalism was also raised in southern States and the sentiment was that the Centre is not doing justice.

Mr. Kumar also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks that he receives "2-3 kg" of abuses every day, and said those spreading hatred are also playing the "victim card".

The Bharat Jodo Yatra of the Congress took a one-day break in Maharashtra on Sunday and will proceed from Kalamnuri in Hingoli district to Washim on Monday.

Mr. Gandhi had addressed a public gathering in Kalamnuri on Saturday night, the sixth day of the Yatra in Maharashtra, and said the message of the foot march led by him was that India cannot be divided and hatred would not be allowed to be spread.

The Yatra, which has covered half of its total distance of 3,750 km, entered Maharashtra from neighboring Telangana on November 7 night and passed through Nanded and Hingoli districts in the western State.