As the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Tamil Nadu on September 7, completed its fourth day in Maharashtra, prominent Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders joined the Gandhi-led cross-country foot-march and another ally Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) hailed it as a movement to end the "atmosphere of bitterness" and unite the country.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday addressed the first rally in Maharashtra as part of his Bharat Jodo Yatra and slammed the Modi government over demonetisation and poor implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of spreading fear among people with its policies.
As the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Tamil Nadu on September 7, completed its fourth day in Maharashtra, prominent Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders joined the Gandhi-led cross-country foot-march and another ally Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) hailed it as a movement to end the "atmosphere of bitterness" and unite the country.
Late in the evening, Gandhi addressed a rally at Mondha ground in Nanded in central Maharashtra, where he came down heavily on the Modi government and the ruling BJP. The Congress MP said common citizens were suffering and not getting any return for their hard work under the rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said the Bharat Jodo Yatra was aimed at standing against what he called the BJP's policies of "spreading fear and hatred". "Farmers, labourers toil hard but get no return under the Modi regime," Gandhi said.
The Centre's policies of demonetisation (2016) and faulty implementation of the GST (2017) had broken the back of Indian economy and destroyed small and medium businesses which generate large-scale employment, said the Lok Sabha MP from Kerala.
"Six years have passed after demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, but black money still remains in circulation. Policies are being devised to spread fear among people. Farmers are not getting MSP for their produce or waiver of their agri loans," Gandhi said. He maintained the his foot-march was moving ahead due to love and affection showered by common people.
"Even after walking for 24km daily, we don't feel tired because the strength of the country is with us," said the former Congress president. Gandhi claimed the Centre's policies were instilling fear among people and the BJP was using that emotion to spread hatred.
"The yatra is meant to stand up against such tendencies. No force can stop the yatra...we will go to Srinagar (where the foot-march will conclude in early 2023) and hoist the tricolour," he said.
Newly-elected Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who also addressed the rally, said Modi could become prime minister because the Congress "saved" the Constitution."BJP leaders often ask what the Congress did for the country. The PSUs (Public Sector Undertakings) that Congress (governments) established are being sold now. We saved the Constitution, therefore you (Modi) became prime minister," Kharge said.
The BJP government had promised two crore jobs every year, he said, adding, "now they are giving only 75,000 jobs....Where are 18 crore jobs?" The Modi government is selling off "airports, ports" and the country's assets are falling into the hands of a few people, the Congress chief alleged.
The Congress gave people food security, he said, while daring the BJP to name ten projects its government implemented in the last nine years. Kharge said the country is seeing a lot of hatred, polarisation on caste and religious lines and unity in diversity is under threat.
Speaking at the rally, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said the BJP is an "event" and Congress is a "movement". The prime minister is seen facing the camera even while meeting his mother because it is an "event", Patole said. The BJP gave only "fear, hunger and corruption," to the country, he alleged.
Former Maharashtra minister Balasaheb Thorat of the Congress said unemployment was a serious issue, and one lakh people turn up for interview for a thousand vacancies."This government has imposed GST even on the chapatis cooked in homes and also on milk which is used to feed kids," he said.
Nationalist Congress Party state president Jayant Patil, who joined the Yatra for the day, said, "Today graduates and post-graduates are applying for the post of peon. Farmers are demanding permission for dying."
Congress leader Ashok Chavan said while there are ideological differences in politics, now increasingly there is personal enmity too."Democracy in the country will not survive this way. The image of political leaders is being tarnished among the common people due to this kind of politics," the former chief minister said.
Prominent NCP leaders joined the Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in the afternoon on the fourth day of its Maharashtra leg. State NCP chief Patil, Baramati MP Supriya Sule and party leader Jitendra Awhad joined Gandhi after he resumed his foot-march from Deglur Naka.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said Gandhi's ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra was a movement to end the "atmosphere of bitterness" and unite the country. He was speaking to reporters after meeting Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar at the latter's residence in Mumbai
"The Bharat Jodo Yatra is a movement to unite the country and end the atmosphere of bitterness. This should be welcomed," said the Sena leader, who was released on bail on Wednesday three months after his arrest in an alleged money laundering case.
Pawar will not join the yatra due to health issues, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said. Addressing media persons here, Ramesh said Pawar (81) had earlier agreed to participate in the foot-march.
"He was recently hospitalised and considering doctor's advice for rest, he will not join (the yatra)," said the general secretary (communications) of the All India Congress Committee.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former state minister Aaditya Thackeray will join the yatra on Friday, Ramesh said. Bollywood actor Sushant Singh joined the yatra on Thursday and walked with Gandhi before sharing the dais with political leaders at a public meeting.
Singh is the second film personality after Pooja Bhatt to take part in the foot-march. Gandhi was seen talking to Singh throughout the 'padyatra' till it reached the venue of the rally. Speaking at the rally, the 50-year-old actor said he was participating in a political rally for the first time in his life.
"I wanted to join the yatra, but I had not attended any political party meeting earlier. I wondered if this is a Congress party event, should I attend or not. But then I realised that this is India's yatra, which speaks of uniting the country," he said.
"Hatred is being spread and the path of love and harmony is difficult. You have chosen this path. It is difficult. There is a saying that if you lose everything in love, then victory is possible," Singh said, looking in Gandhi's direction.
The yatra, which entered Maharashtra on Monday night, will cover Nanded city, Deglur and Ardhapur areas and proceed to Hingoli on Friday. The march will cover a distance of 3,750 km before concluding in Srinagar in January 2023.
(With PTI Inputs)