Rahul Gandhi begins historic Bharat Jodo Yatra, revives his diatribe against big businesses

“A handful of large businesses control the whole country today. The prime minister is highly dependent on them for his survival. These handful of corporates are projecting images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi round the clock through television channels and denying any kind of reportage on the farm sector crisis, growing unemployment and price of rice,” said Rahul Gandhi, who is all likely to sharpen his anti-corporate posturing in the coming days.

Stating that he will not stay away from the fight against the RSS-backed BJP dispensation at the Centre,  Rahul Gandhi said the Modi government had systematically attacked farmers, labourers, and small businesses in the entire country.

He said the prime minister would not last even one day without the support of the large big businesses, which he said landed the country in the worst economic crisis in its history.

Rahul Gandhi said the country was heading towards a disaster if the prevailing level of unemployment — apparently at the highest — in the country were any indication.

Referring to the continuing raids by Central probe agencies across the country targeting political opponents of the BJP-RSS, he said not even a single Opposition leader would be scared by such acts.

Rahul Gandhi receives MK Stalin at the inauguration of the yatra. (Supplied)

“The BJP thinks it can frighten the Opposition using the CBI, ED, and the Income Tax Department. The largest problem with the ruling party is that it does not understand the Indian people. It thinks it can divide the country into religious lines, but that’s impossible,” said Rahul Gandhi.

Pointing to the Tricolour handed to him by Stalin at the adjacent Mahatma Gandhi Gandhi Mandapam, he began his speech by saying the flag was not just three colours and a chakra on a piece of cloth, but much more than that.

“It’s very important that we bring the country’s people together. The Bharat Jodo Yatra aims at that. We wish to listen to the wisdom of the country’s people, unlike the BJP-RSS, which crushes the voices of all Indians,” he said amidst cheers and applause at the largest gathering in the recent history of Kanyakumari.

Rahul Gandhi told the gathering to defend the ideas the Tricolour embodies rather than just saluting it.

He accused the BJP-RSS of imitating the British, who attempted to divide India and make people fight among themselves to facilitate the stealing of their resources. He said every institution in India was under attack by the BJP and the RSS.

“The Tricolour is the identity of every Indian. It guarantees protection for every single citizen of the country. It empowers every citizen with the right to practice any religion. Now, the flag is under attack,” he said.

Rahul Gandhi addresses the public meeting of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kanyakumari. (Supplied)

Referring to the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which will cover 3,570 km spread over a dozen states and two union territories, Rahul Gandhi said not just the Congress but millions of people in the country feel the need for it.

He said there was a need to take action that brings India together.

He also thanked Stalin for inaugurating the yatra and extending his full support.

Stalin inaugurates yatra

Though he was not present at the public meeting, which was a Congress event, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin tweeted that the Bharat Jodo Yatra launched by his “brother” Rahul Gandhi would retrieve the country’s soul and uphold the lofty ideals of the republic.

Stalin also said the yatra would unite the country’s people with love. He also congratulated “India’s grand old party” for taking up the arduous task of unshackling India from oppression.

He has also warned against communal polarisations and vicious hate campaigns.

Stalin launched the yatra by handing over the flag to Rahul Gandhi in the presence of his counterparts in Rajasthan and Chattisgarh and senior Congress leaders at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin launches the Bharat Jodo Yatra by handing over the Tricolour to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Kanyakumari. (Supplied)

The Khadi flag will be carried throughout the yatra, culminating in Kashmir in several months.

Civil society representatives Yogendra Yadav and Dayamani Barla turned up at the public meeting and inspired the yatra team by raising supportive slogans.

Yadav said the yatra would turn out to be a unifying force that would help the country survive the challenges posed by forces of hate and division.

AICC general secretary KC Venugopal described Rahul as the only leader in the country who dared to directly take on Modi and his government, which he said were protecting the interests of communal forces and big corporates.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his Chattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel called Rahul Gandhi a symbol of sacrifice who stayed away from power and positions even when the UPA got a majority in elections. They said Rahul could even be the prime minister if he had wished.

Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh, P Chidambaram, and KS Azhagiri are among those who spoke on occasion.

Before the inauguration of the yatra, Rahul Gandhi offered tributes at the memorials of Swami Vivekananda, Thiruvalluvar, and K Kamaraj.

The yatra will practically begin on Thursday morning, and tour the Kanyakumari district for three days before entering Kerala.