MYSURU: At a time when religious animosity and hatred is causing concern across the nation, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi devoted considerable time on Day 4 of Bharat Jodo Yatra to reach out to religious heads to send a message of social harmony.
Starting the Monday padayatra from Hardinge Circle, Rahul Gandhi, party workers, members of civil society, morning walkers and cultural troupes added to the Dasara festive mood. Various folk teams joined in the padayatra and gave an enthralling performance on the wide roads of Mysuru, so the march resembled a mini Dasara.
Enroute, Rahul met JSS seer Shivaratri Deshikendra Swami, interacted with moulvis near Masjid-e-Azam, the Mysuru Bishop and members of the Jain community. Gandhi heard out representatives from Iskcon, youngsters and women who lined up with Bharat Jodo flags to send out a message that they are for communal amity and secularism.
After grabbing people’s attention with his public speech in a heavy downpour in Mysuru on Sunday, Rahul opened the day listening to people and thanked them for apprising him about many issues. “Without harmony, there is no progress,” he stressed, when he met heads of various religions and visited places of worship.
During the 22-km yatra on Monday, Rahul reached out to farmers, and even tasted sugarcane harvested in the fields near Pandavapura. He also received a letter presented by the public, and as students and children turned up, he made them walk along with him, enthralling the crowd.
Rahul got many gifts, among them were photographs of his parents, and his pencil sketch done by an artist in Kollegal village. Dalit women in Haralahalli in Pandavapura taluk performed arti with a lamp made of jaggery, and put a tilak on his forehead. He obliged a young girl who sought his autograph, and signed on her hand.
Addressing a street corner meeting, Rahul called on people to rise against corruption, unemployment, price rise, and division of the people for political gains. Thanking people for joining him during his nationwide Bharat Jodo Yatra, he said the response has given him greater vigour to take up the fight against evil and the government. Terming Karnataka the most corrupt state in the country, he said corruption has not spared even labourers, contractors, farmers and industrialists, and wanted people to reject such a government.