Congress MP Rahul Gandhi Slams BJP-RSS, Says 'Bharat Jodo Yatra Is Against Injustices'

While addressing a gathering he slammed BJP-led Centre and said that the BJP and RSS want his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra to be divided

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. ( Image Source :PTI )

As Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra completed 19 days and 419 kilometres by Monday evening, party leader Rahul Gandhi said the foot march is against injustices like waiving off debts running into billions owed by rich businessmen while farmers or small traders are punished for loan defaults.

In his speech at the end of the day's yatra in Koppam, Gandhi said the BJP government at the Centre was favouring a few rich businessmen by waiving off their debts, while the same consideration was not being shown to the farmers, small traders and other businessmen.

While addressing a gathering he also slammed BJP-led Centre and said that the BJP and RSS want his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra to be divided. He further alleged that both BJP and RSS are "spreading hatred".

"BJP-RSS wants this river to be divided, wants residents to fight with each other. They want a river where if somebody falls, nobody picks him up and where everybody is alone. They run the country by dividing it and spreading hatred," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said.

He also tweeted about it in Hindi, saying: "Today billions of loans of big industrialists are being waived. But, if a farmer or small trader is unable to repay even a small loan, then he is put in jail by calling him a 'defaulter'. Bharat Jodo Yatra is against every injustice. The country will not accept this 'two Hindustan' version of the king." While addressing a huge crowd of people who had turned up to see him at Koppam, Gandhi, also the MP from Wayanad, said that while buying LPG cylinders or filling fuel in their vehicles, people should question where the extra amount they are being charged was going.

"Money does not disappear... It is going into the pockets of five or six of the richest businessmen in the country. We will not accept this unfairness," he said.

Meanwhile, AICC general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh tweeted, "Day 19 of Bharat Jodo Yatra ends at Koppam. Fantastic response! Yatris walked 22 kms today. The container site is compact but lovely. 419 kms completed. 2.5 days more in Kerala, which has been electrified by Rahul Gandhi. Whatever the news elsewhere, only Bharat Jodo Yatra matters!" During the morning session of the yatra, hundreds of people waited on both sides of the road to meet Gandhi. A group of young girls presented the Congress leader with a framed drawing of himself.

Later in the day, the crowd had swelled to thousands.

The Congress' 3,570 km and 150-day long foot march started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 and will conclude in Jammu and Kashmir.

The yatra, which entered Kerala on September 10, will go through the state covering 450 km, touching seven districts in 19 days before entering Karnataka on October 1.

(With inputs from agencies)