Kanyakumari (TN): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Wednesday began 150-day 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Kanyakumari. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin launched the Yatra from Gandhi Mandapam here by handing over the national flag to Rahul in the presence of many Congress leaders.
The khadi flag would be carried throughout the yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir covering a distance of 3570 km, across 12 states and two Union territories. The yatra will culminate in Kashmir. Speaking at the launch of the Yatra at a rally here, Rahul said every single institution of the country is under attack as he sought the support of people to help keep the country united.
He said the tricolor belongs to every religion, state and language, but it is "under attack today by the BJP and the RSS that are dividing India on the lines of religion and language". "Our tricolour guarantees the right to practice any religion of choice, but today this flag is under attack," 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.
He 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. "Policies like the GST, demonetisation and three farm laws were designed for the sake of a few large entrepreneurs. The BJP government has systematically attacked farmers, labourers, and small businesses.
A handful of large businesses today control the country, PM won't last one day without their support. India facing its worst ever economic crisis along with the highest unemployment rate ever, the country is headed toward disaster," he said.
Apart from former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, senior party leaders like P Chidambaram, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Rajya Sabha MP K C Venugopal, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, state Congress chief KS Alagiri, and Karnataka PCC president DK Shivakumar were also present.
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Further slamming BJP and RSS, Rahul said the central government's idea was "similar to what British did by dividing India, make all fight among themselves and then steal from them." "Then one East India Company used to control the country, now there are 3-4 companies controlling it," Rahul said at the rally.
The 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' will culminate in Kashmir after covering a distance of 3,570 km from South to North India. Congress has also coined a slogan for the yatra ‘Mile Kadam Jude Watan’ which loosely translates to 'Walk together to unite nation'.
"Every single institution today is under attack from RSS-BJP, they think they can divide India on religious lines, languages...Our tricolour guarantees right to practice any religion of choice, but today this flag is under attack. Tricolour did not come easily, it was earned by Indian people and belongs to every religion and language," the Congress leader said.
He said that 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' was aimed at listening to the people of India. "We do not want the voice of the people of India to be crushed," he said. Meanwhile, Congress president Sonia Gandhi described the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' as a "landmark occasion" and hoped that the 3,500-km foot march would help rejuvenate the party.
In her message read out at the rally in Kanyakumari, Gandhi said she would be participating in the yatra daily in thought and spirit. "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," Gandhi said in her message. She also described the occasion as a "transformational moment in Indian politics". The occasion also saw the handing over of the national flag to officially mark the start of the "padayatra", which the Congress has described as the longest ever undertaken by any political party in independent India.
