CHANDIGARHl: On the second day of his Bharat Jodo Yatra on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi accused the Centre of trying to suppress the voice of Congress leaders in Parliament, asserting that it was for the reason that the party had organized such a Yatra.
Rahul said the government was coming up with “excuses” to stop the Yatra, days after Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya wrote to him saying the march should be suspended if Covid protocols could not be followed. The Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari on September 7, has covered Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
“This Yatra will go to Kashmir. Now, they have come out with a new idea. They wrote me a letter that Covid was spreading, stop the Yatra,” Rahul said while addressing a gathering in Ghasera village in Haryana’s Nuh district. The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by him entered the state through Nuh on Wednesday after its Rajasthan leg.
“In Parliament when we talk on issues related to Rafale, GST, etc the microphone is turned off and no one can hear us. They pan the camera to the Speaker and keep it stationed there for as long as our leaders are speaking. They do not want to hear us in Parliament. That’s why we took to the streets to ensure real stakeholders hear us out. During the time of Gandhi (Mahatama) too, people tried to create divisions and sow the seeds of hatred. He was most fearless. I want to tell you that do not be afraid,’’ said the Congress leader.
“The RSS spreads hatred, but they are afraid of farmers, labourers. The Yatra has shown that the nation is not afraid. The day the nation stands united, all this hatred will disappear. That day is not far,’’ he added. Promising better roads, health facilities, and educational institutions if Congress returned to power, Rahul said, “We have been walking on these roads. It is clear to me that the people of Mewat want better roads, schools, colleges, educational institutions, and access to better medical facilities and water supply. When our government is in power, I ensure you that we will complete these works. It will take time, but our intentions are clear.’’
Taking a dig at the media, he said even it was being remote-controlled. “We have walked miles for peace but they do not have space for us. But if Modi ji walks even 15 steps, they will harp on it for 24 hours,’’
he said. Ghasera village is also known as Gandhi Gram as the Mahatma visited the village on December 19, 1947, to convince members of the Muslim community from Alwar and Bharatpur in Rajasthan who had halted on their way to Pakistan to remain in their homeland.