Express News Service
GUWAHATI: Starting his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ from Imphal on a fiery note on Sunday with a promise to bring peace and harmony in the ethnic violence-hit state, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Manipur is not a part of India for the BJP.
Gandhi slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting the state since May 3 when ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kukis broke out.
“Till today, the Prime Minister of India has not come here to share your pain. It is a matter of shame. Perhaps for the PM, BJP and RSS, Manipur is not a part of India. Your pain and suffering is not their pain,” the Congress leader said addressing a gathering before launching the yatra.
Recalling his last visit to the state on June 29 last year, he had seen and heard about things he never saw or heard before. “I have been in politics since 2004. For the first time I went to a state in India where the entire infrastructure of governance collapsed. The Manipur we knew ceased to exist. Hatred was spread all over. Lakhs of people suffered. Brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers were killed…” Gandhi said.
During that visit, he interacted with affected people from both communities in the relief camps in Imphal and Churachandpur.
Gandhi mentioned the positive response received during his Bharat Jodo Yatra last year when he had spoken about uniting India and removing hatred from the society. He said he had spoken with lakhs of people and learnt about their pain.
“People said there has been a yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, so let’s there be another from east to west. I wanted a foot march but this is election time and it would have taken a little more time. So, the Congress decided on a bus yatra along with a foot march,” he said.
He said people were divided on the question of where the yatra should begin with some suggesting west while some others favouring east but he clearly said it can start only from Manipur, not from any other place.
“Manipur is a symbol of BJP-RSS politics and ideology…We have lost what was most precious to us because of the ideology, politics and hatred of BJP-RSS,” he said referring to a number belted out by a singer at the event venue.
Stating that the Congress understands the pain and sadness that the people of Manipur have been through, he committed that the party would bring back what people valued as well as peace, harmony and affection that the state has been known for.
Explaining why it has been named as Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Gandhi said, “Economically, monopoly is being built. A few people are getting access to all the wealth of the country. One or two businesses have their fingers in everything and a large majority of businesses – small and medium – are being destroyed. There is a huge level of unemployment and massive price rise that the whole of India is facing.”
On the social sector, he alleged that a lot of Indians had been excluded from the country’s governance and political system. These are the issues that Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is going to raise, he added.
Earlier in the day, he paid homage at the Khongjom War Memorial in the Thoubal district. The yatra was flagged off from a private property in the district in the presence of top Congress leaders, including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
It will cover a distance of around 6,500 km in 66 days and conclude in Mumbai. For the next 10 days, it will pass through Nagaland, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. Follow channel on WhatsApp
GUWAHATI: Starting his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ from Imphal on a fiery note on Sunday with a promise to bring peace and harmony in the ethnic violence-hit state, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Manipur is not a part of India for the BJP.
Gandhi slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting the state since May 3 when ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kukis broke out.
“Till today, the Prime Minister of India has not come here to share your pain. It is a matter of shame. Perhaps for the PM, BJP and RSS, Manipur is not a part of India. Your pain and suffering is not their pain,” the Congress leader said addressing a gathering before launching the yatra.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Recalling his last visit to the state on June 29 last year, he had seen and heard about things he never saw or heard before. “I have been in politics since 2004. For the first time I went to a state in India where the entire infrastructure of governance collapsed. The Manipur we knew ceased to exist. Hatred was spread all over. Lakhs of people suffered. Brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers were killed…” Gandhi said.
During that visit, he interacted with affected people from both communities in the relief camps in Imphal and Churachandpur.
Gandhi mentioned the positive response received during his Bharat Jodo Yatra last year when he had spoken about uniting India and removing hatred from the society. He said he had spoken with lakhs of people and learnt about their pain.
“People said there has been a yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, so let’s there be another from east to west. I wanted a foot march but this is election time and it would have taken a little more time. So, the Congress decided on a bus yatra along with a foot march,” he said.
He said people were divided on the question of where the yatra should begin with some suggesting west while some others favouring east but he clearly said it can start only from Manipur, not from any other place.
“Manipur is a symbol of BJP-RSS politics and ideology…We have lost what was most precious to us because of the ideology, politics and hatred of BJP-RSS,” he said referring to a number belted out by a singer at the event venue.
Stating that the Congress understands the pain and sadness that the people of Manipur have been through, he committed that the party would bring back what people valued as well as peace, harmony and affection that the state has been known for.
Explaining why it has been named as Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Gandhi said, “Economically, monopoly is being built. A few people are getting access to all the wealth of the country. One or two businesses have their fingers in everything and a large majority of businesses – small and medium – are being destroyed. There is a huge level of unemployment and massive price rise that the whole of India is facing.”
On the social sector, he alleged that a lot of Indians had been excluded from the country’s governance and political system. These are the issues that Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is going to raise, he added.
Earlier in the day, he paid homage at the Khongjom War Memorial in the Thoubal district. The yatra was flagged off from a private property in the district in the presence of top Congress leaders, including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
It will cover a distance of around 6,500 km in 66 days and conclude in Mumbai. For the next 10 days, it will pass through Nagaland, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. Follow channel on WhatsApp
