A call for resistance reverberated at the meeting of civil society activists with Rahul Gandhi in Mumbai on Sunday.

Activists, deeply worried about the survival of constitutional rule in India, were assured by the Congress leader: “Don’t get so anxious. They can’t destroy the Constitution. They have captured the media. Awaz bahut karte hain lekin sacchai aur Hindustan hamare saath hai (they make a lot of noise but the truth and India are with us).”

The meeting called Nyay Sankalp Sabha at the conclusion of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra took a public pledge to protect the Constitution. The pledge was administered by Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson Tushar Gandhi in the presence of social activists, intellectuals, farmers, women and youths. A “Nyay Sankalp” padyatra led by Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also taken out.

The farmers, youths, Dalit and tribal activists who spoke at the meeting asserted that the Narendra Modi government had failed to deliver on its promises and made their lives miserable. They hailed the Congress guarantees that Rahul said were born out of feedback from the grassroots about multi-layered, widespread injustice against the common people. They endorsed the agenda that revolved around justice for farmers, women, youths, workers and bhagidari (representation).

Yogendra Yadav, who has been associated with Rahul’s Bharat Jodo and Nyay Yatras on behalf of civil society groups, told the audience to resolve to counter the false narratives woven by the RSS-BJP. “This man in white T-shirt hasn’t alone taken the contract to save the Constitution. It is our collective responsibility. He has walked 4,000km in the Bharat Jodo Yatra and covered 6,000km in the Nyay Yatra. We should take the pledge to multiply this effort of 10,000km with 10-fold in this election.”

Yadav tutored the activists to counter the BJP’s discourse: “Forget the past differences; forget ifs and buts. This is not an election; this is a battle to save the Constitution. They will say Modi, you will say mudda (issues). They will say chanda (donation), you will say vasooli ka dhandha (extortion racket). They will say Hindu-Musalman, you will say mazdoor-kisan. This is not char-sau-paar (400-plus seats), this is char-sau-beesi (fraud).”

Author and Dalit rights activist Kancha Ilaiah said the upcoming election was an occasion to save the ideas of Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar, arguing that Rahul alone represented those ideas today. He gave a few slogans for this election — “Vote for India of social justice”, “Vote for Constitution”, “Vote for Rahul Gandhi”.

Rahul contested him saying: “Rahul is not protecting the Constitution alone. This is the feeling of crores of Indians. In the Bharat Jodo Yatra, I was not walking alone. Millions walked with me. We have to fight collectively. I am happy we are together.”

He said he discovered during the Bharat Jodo Yatra that India was a country of love and respect. Spreading hate should not be easy here. “The reason why the RSS-BJP could spread hate is injustice. The poor, farmers, youths, women, backwards, Dalits, Adivasis… they face injustice at every step.”