Rahul wraps up Bharat Jodo Yatra; recalls phone call about Indira, Rajiv’s assassinations
After traversing 74 districts across 14 states over a span on 136 days, the Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra wrapped up at its final destination, Kashmir, on Monday (January 30).
Even as intense snow rained across the valley, the rally, planned to mark the closing ceremony, went ahead.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who has been leading the ambitious walkathon, started off the closing ceremony by hoisting the national flag at the party’s office in Srinagar. This was followed by a rally at the Sher-I-Kashmir Cricket Stadium, which was attended by top Kashmiri leaders including National Conference leader and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti.
Watch | Rahul Gandhi’s eventful Bharat Jodo Yatra | Key events
The heavy snowfall, however, blocked the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, making it difficult for several national leaders to attend the rally.
Addressing the audience gathered at the stadium, Rahul said the aim of the yatra was to save the liberal and secular ethos of the country which, he claimed, was facing an assault from the BJP and the RSS.
“I have not done this (yatra) for myself or for the Congress but for the people of the country. Our aim is to stand against the ideology that wants to destroy the foundation of this country,” he said.
Rahul said the RSS and the BJP were targeting the liberal and secular ethos of the country by inciting violence.
An emotional Rahul recalled how at the age of 14, while in school he was called to the principal’s office to receive a call informing him of the assassination of his grandmother Indira Gandhi and when seven years later, while he was in the US, he received another call informing him of the assassination of his father.
Rahul said the purpose of the yatra was to ensure that no other child, family member, kin of defence personnel or ordinary Kashmiri receives such phone calls, adding that neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, NSA Ajit Doval and people from the BJP-RSS can understand that pain.
“Those who incite violence like Modiji, Amit Shahji, the BJP and the RSS will never understand this pain. The family of an Army man will understand, the family of the CRPF personnel who were killed in Pulwama will understand, Kashmiris will understand that pain when one gets that call. The aim of the yatra is to end the phone calls announcring the deaths of loved ones – be it a soldier, a CRPF jawan or any Kashmiri,” he added.
‘BJP wouldn’t dare to undertake such a yatra as it is scared’
Rahul dared the BJP top brass to undertake a yatra like his in Jammu and Kashmir, saying they will never do it as they are scared.
Also read: Bharat Jodo Yatra: Rahul dares Amit Shah to walk from Jammu to Kashmir
“I can guarantee you that no BJP leader can walk like this in Jammu and Kashmir. They will not do it, not because they won’t be allowed to but because they are scared,” he said.
Rahul said he was advised against walking the Jammu and Kashmir lap on the grounds that he might be attacked.
“I thought over it and then decided that I will walk in my home and with my people (in Jammu and Kashmir). Why not give them (his enemies) a chance to change the colour of my shirt, let them make it red. The people of Kashmir did not give me hand grenades, only their hearts full of love,” he said.
Also read: Bharat Jodo Yatra: Rahul calls off walk for the day after ‘total security collapse
The yatra started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 after covering around 3,970 km. Rahul held over 100 corner meetings, 13 press conferences and had over 275 walking interactions and 100 sitting interactions during the course of the yatra.
(With inputs from agencies)