The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are spreading fear among people and using hate as a weapon to divert attention from ‘actual’ issues, said former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on December 24, 2022.
Mr Gandhi made these statements while addressing an impressive public rally outside the red Fort, after the Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Delhi. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, his predecessor Sonia Gandhi, actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan were among those who shared the staged at the public event.
The former Congress chief also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP spent thousands of crores of rupees to destroy his image, but he has shown the truth to the country in just a month.
Also read |Kamal Haasan to join Bharat Jodo Yatra as it enters Delhi on December 24
While walking hundreds of kilometres from Kanyakumari to Delhi, Mr. Gandhi claimed, he had not seen any violence or hatred but it is being spread on television all the time at the behest of the powers controlling the media.
“After doing Hindu-Muslim 24 hours, they will hand over your money and sell all your ports, airports, roads and other assets to their crony friends....They try to divert your attention all the time,” he said.
“This is not Narendra Modi’s government, this Adani and Ambani’s government and the whole country knows this. I did not see any violence or hate during the Yatra, but when I watch the TV (news), all I see violence and hatred,” said Mr. Gandhi.
On Sunday, the Congress leader will make a significant political by paying homage at late Prime Minister and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s memorial along with visiting Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial at Rajghat, Jawaharlal Nehru’s at Shantivan, Indira Gandhi’s at Shakti Sthal and Rajiv Gandhi’s memorial at Veer Bhumi.
The 3,570 long Kanyakumari-to-Kashmir yatra, after traveling across 9 States, entered the national capital on its 108th day at the Badarpur border and stopped at the Red Fort. Before staring its onward march from January 3, the yatra will take a nine-day break for the year-end.
Ms Gandhi, accompanied byparty general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, was among the leaders who joined the yatra just before it reached Ashram chowk. Mr Gandhi also shared emotional photographs of hugging his mother after she joined to walk with him for some time.
Various leaders from across party lines, including Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president Thol. Thirumavalavan, Bahujan Samaj Party’s Shyam Singh Yadav and Mr Haasan, who heads the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MKM), also joined the march in solidarity.
Explaining his reasons for joining the Yatra in the Capital, Mr. Haasan said, “I am here, because I am an Indian. My father was a Congressman, I had various ideologies and started my own political party. But when it comes to the country, all political party lines will have to blur. I blurred that line and I come here as Kamal Haasan, son of India.”
Addressing the Red Fort rally, Mr Kharge said, “ This Yatra is not a political game, instead, it is to voice concerns over unemployment, rising prices and China’s attack on India. We tried to speak about this in the parliament, but this Government does not want to hear or let us speak. They are running away from the debate”.
Mr. Thirumavalavan told The Hindu that he agrees with Mr. Gandhi’s idea of “putting an end to hate” accused the BJP and RSS of “spoiling” the country’s economic health and dividing citizens on the lines of religion and caste.
On January 3, the Yatra will restart for its onward march to Jammu and Kashmir, after passing through Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab.
