Yatra not meant to project Rahul as PM face: Jairam

Parveen Arora

Madhuban (Karnal), January 7

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ had been organised not to project Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but to counter the politics of “hate, fear and division” in the country.

“It is an ideological yatra and Rahul is its main face, but it is not an individual’s yatra. It is meant to highlight three key issues concerning the nation — economic disparity, social polarisation and political dictatorship — and to fight the ideology of the BJP and the RSS,” Ramesh said, while interacting with the media near here.

He was accompanied by state party in-charge Shaktisinh Gohil, state president Udai Bhan and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The Congress leader said, “The yatra is not aimed at elections, but has a bigger motive to combat the politics of hate and fear. It is meant to strengthen the Congress and its ideology.” The former minister accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of playing “divisive politics” and said they had promised maximum governance and minimum government, but instead focusing on maximum polarisation and hate and minimum governance. “Rahul is giving a message of ‘nafrat chodo, Bharat jodo’ through this march,” he said.

He said the march entered its 113rd day when it reached Karnal district and it was getting a good response as people from all sections of society had been turning up. “It has become a jan andolan,” he said.

Ramesh alleged efforts were being made to tarnish Rahul’s image, but he had emerged as a dynamic leader.

Hooda claimed the Panipat rally evoked a huge response. He denied reports of rift in the state Congress.