Bharat Jodo Yatra: Rahul charms people in Kanyakumari

Do you think the Congress rally will have any impact, at least for the people of Kanyakumari? When The Federal posed this question to some of the people who witnessed the Bharat Jodo Yatra between September 7 and 10, most responses were positive, saying that it will bring a significant change.

“The kind of repercussions felt by the people due to faulty implementation of the Union government’s various plans like demonetization and GST has even turned the sympathisers of BJP against it,” said S Surendran, a businessman who recently shifted from Coimbatore to Kanyakumari and is now residing in Nagercoil. It was the loss in the garment business due to the GST and soaring cotton prices that forced Surendran to leave Coimbatore, his native place.

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“There is a perception that Kanyakumari is in the hold of BJP. But that is only a mirage-like view. In reality, Congress is in the minds of the people. They had given a chance to the BJP first time in 2014. The second time they supported Congress. That’s why we have a Congress MP and three MLAs out of six constituencies in the district. This rally will give an impetus to the Congress in 2024 elections,” he said.

Local leaders not seen

Viswanathan, a tea-shop owner in Kothar, one of the routes the Congress had taken for the rally, said that the three-day rally had given good business to small traders like him.

“It is good to see that a leader of Rahul’s stature is getting down and walking on the roads. Many locals too, have joined the rally and walked some distance to express their support. Except for Jothimani MP, no other state leaders were seen during the show,” he said.

Translation strikes a chord

Thilagavathi, a pharmacist, said that one reason why the people in Kanyakumari support the yatra is that its name is catchy. “The name Bharat Jodo Yatra has been translated into Tamil as ‘Indhiya Ottrumai Payanam’. That immediately struck a right chord among the people here. The translation not even says ‘Bharat’ but ‘India’. This is not expected in a rally organised by the BJP,” she said.

In a district like Kanyakumari, where Christians are more in number than Hindus and there’s a significant Muslim population, instead of criticising the BJP directly for its communal hatred politics, Rahul Gandhi opted to speak about saving the Constitution. This has been well received among the educated section, Thilagavathi added.

“But a normal Congress worker thinks Rahul needs to attack the BJP harshly while addressing the people. The cadres say this rigour is missing in Rahul,” she said.

Congress is awake

G Mani, a businessman, said that other than some disturbances like traffic changes, the rally was received well, largely.

“But we cannot say that it would bring major success to the Congress electorally. Of course, it will bring a change of mind in the people to realise that Congress is not in deep slumber. On the other hand, its victory will be easy in the elections given that the DMK backs them,” he said.

He also added that while walking, Rahul met women, farmers and commoners and carefully listened to their demands despite heavy security arrangements. “Though his safety is a concern, the charm and his down-to-earth attitude attracted a large number of women and youth during the rally,” Mani said.

No to sycophancy

Vedanayagi, a Dalit panchayat president, is one among the local body representative teams which met Rahul Gandhi on the second day of the yatra. She said that Rahul hates party sycophancy.

“During our meeting, a local Congress party representative fell on the feet of Rahul and started saying how his family for many years has been a Congress supporter. Rahul was literally upset by his act. He immediately retorted by saying, ‘How can you expect a government to give you the power, when you yourself are not believing in you and falling on others’ feet?’. He said that people should come forward and take the power instead of waiting for the government to give it. That was great learning to me,” she said.

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Vedanayagi also added that most of the women who came for the rally had lost their one-day wages. “When asked about this, they said they feel that Rahul can bring major change in their lives like his mother who lightened up their lives through MNREGA,” she said.