TURUVEKERE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday dismissed suggestions that the next party chief could be remote-controlled by the Gandhi family, asserting that both leaders in the fray - Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor - are people of stature and understanding.
Addressing a press conference here during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi said he is not alone in the yatra and lakhs of people have joined it as they are tired of unemployment, price rise and inequality.
Asked about criticism from certain quarters that the next Congress president could be remote-controlled by the Gandhi family, the former party chief said, "Both the people who are standing (in the polls) have a position, have a perspective and are people of stature and people of understanding. I don't think either of them is going to be a remote control (chief) and frankly, this tone is insulting to both of them."
Gandhi also said that by nature he believes in 'tapasya' and wanted an element of suffering in this communication to people through the Bharat Jodo Yatra which seeks to cover a distance of about 3,500 km from Kanyakumari to Kashmir on foot.
He said spreading hatred and violence is an anti-national act and "we'll fight anybody who indulges in it".
"We are opposing the new education policy as it's distorting our history and traditions. We want a decentralised education system," he added.
Bharat Jodo Yatra is not for the 2024 elections and the Congress wants to unite people against the division of the country being carried out by the BJP-RSS, Gandhi said.