Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the Bharat Jodo Yatra aimed at undoing the damage caused to society by the RSS-BJP and restoring the conversation with the people, which had completely broken down.
Responding to questions about the BJP’s charge that this was “Parivar Bachao Yatra”, the Congress MP said: “Everybody will have an opinion. The RSS-BJP is welcome to have their opinion, their view. For us in the Congress, this is a journey, an attempt at understanding what is going on on the ground in India and undoing the damages the RSS-BJP have done to India.”
Addressing the media on his way to Kerala on the second day of the Yatra, Rahul explained what he had meant when he spoke of the damage done by the RSS-BJP.
He said: “We all see the hatred they have spread, the divisions they have created in society. Massive price rise and unemployment are the biggest problems. There is total capture of institutions… the role of the CBI, ED, and the income tax department. Two-three businessmen are controlling everything. (There are) attempts to impose one vision by crushing all other visions.…”
Asserting that conversation with the people had broken down, he said: “Our objective is to connect with the people. I decided to join the Yatra thinking this would be a good experience for me personally. It is a powerful thing to do. It’s not easy. It’s worthwhile doing this. These days in politics, it is not fashionable (to walk on foot to see the ground reality). But there are different ways of looking at things. Hopefully, I’ll get more understanding about our beautiful country. Maybe, after a few months, I will be wiser.”
Rahul Gandhi meets residents and party colleagues in Kanyakumari during the Yatra on Friday. PTI picture
Responding to a question about Prime Minister Narendra Modi renaming Rajpath as Kartavya Path, Rahul said: “They can change the name if there is a sentiment. But it is the bankruptcy of vision for the future that compels you to dip into the past to look for issues. It is clear that India is lacking a vision for the future. Nothing from the past is going to save you in the future.”
Although he conceded that every Opposition party had a role in protecting democracy, Rahul hinted they occasionally compromised and buckled under pressure from the investigating agencies.
“You know how this government deals with this issue using the CBI, the ED.… Lot of people don’t want to fight thinking... kahan fasna hai. They make peace with the BJP. That’s not my training. That’s not my character. I will fight for the idea of India.”
He said the overriding concern was the attack on India’s pluralistic culture. Recalling a conversation with a girl on the first day of the Yatra, Rahul said: “She asked me, why Bharat Jodo? I in turn asked her what is Bharat? She said Bharat is people living in harmony. So, if there is no harmony, is it Bharat?”
Questions on his future role in the party rained on Rahul but he avoided a direct answer while declaring there was no confusion in his mind about what he was going to do. “There will be election for the post of Congress president and that will bring clarity. If I don’t contest and you ask me why I didn’t, I will explain it to you.”
Although it is difficult to guess whether he will become party president, his public stance and private conversations with senior colleagues suggest he is not interested in taking up any post.
Asked about the contradiction between his refusal to take up the reins of the party and his willingness to lead the Yatra, he said: “I am not leading the Yatra, I am only participating in the Yatra.”
Rahul is clearly against the idea of returning as party chief but the top leadership and grassroots workers are determined to mount pressure of a kind that he may find difficult to resist.
Sources said he was enjoying being among the people during the Yatra and believed that politics was more about understanding the people and solving their problems instead of ruling over them.
