Congress leader Rahul Gandhi concluded his 10,000-kms march on Sunday with a speech in Mumbai, where he asserted that the RSS-BJP does not have the courage to change the Constitution of India and that love and respect are intrinsic values in India’s society. He delivered his remarks at the Gokuldas Tejpal Auditorium, historically significant as the site of the formation of the Congress party in 1985.
“There is nothing to worry…they (BJP and RSS) do not have the guts to change the Constitution…truth and Hindustan is with all of us,” Gandhi said.
Gandhi also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, targeting his policies and governance.
“Respect and mohabbat (love) is in India’s DNA…the hatred that we see is because of injustice…this is what I have found during the two Yatras,” said Gandhi. “India is the first country which fought the fight for independence with love….When I went to South Africa, Nelson Mandela said that – Gandhi ji and India have shown us the path to freedom,” he said.
The congress leader’s extensive march, known as the Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, spanned from September 7, 2022 – March 16, 2024 and covered a distance of over 10,000 km.
Reflecting on his journey, Gandhi voiced his findings from his experience and stressed on the importance of showing empathy to build a movement. He criticised current governance, drawing attention to the increasing wealth disparity and prevalent injustices faced by youths, farmers, and workers in India.
Moreover, he emphasised the importance of listening to the public voice which he termed as the “voice of Hindustan”.
Hours before the gathering of the I.N.D.I.A. opposition bloc at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Maidan in Dadar, Mumbai, Gandhi underscored the essence of empathy in building movements. He emphasized that the struggle transcends individuals and parties, pointing out the need to empathize with others’ challenges.
Gandhi critiqued the governance approach of Modi and RSS, highlighting their perceived lack of inclusivity in decision-making. He lamented the disparity where loans of select billionaires are waived while farmers continue to face financial burdens.
“In the country, the loans of a few billionaires are waived, but not a single rupee was waived for the farmers,” he said, adding: “Today, on one hand, a few people have all the wealth of the country. On the other hand, injustice is being done to youth, farmers and labourers.”
“Our guarantee is the voice of Hindustan, which we have created by asking and listening to the general public. BJP can never do this work, because everything there comes from above,” he said.
Gandhi, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi, also visited Mani Bhavan, a key location in the history of Gandhi ji’s activism. The venue was historically significant for the initiation of the Non-Cooperation, Satyagraha, Swadeshi, Khadi and Khilafat movements. The two leaders were joined by Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.
