Kochi: The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which is being led by Congressman Rahul Gandhi, entered its fifteenth day on Thursday and is expected to reach Kerala's Thrissur district this evening.
Gandhi's yatra was joined by officials of the Congress party and workers from the Parambayam Juma Masjid in Kochi today.
The "Bharat Jodo Yatra" created a stir on Wednesday when a billboard intended to greet Kerala's Congress party leaders featured the image of RSS ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar alongside other liberation warriors. The BJP said that Savarkar's "images adorning the Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra banner is a positive realisation for Rahul Gandhi" as soon as pictures of the banner bearing Savarkar's portrait went viral on the internet. Congress, however, described it as a printing error and said that while a thorough investigation is being done, urgent action has been taken against the local leader.
The banner, which featured images of Savarkar alongside those of renowned liberation warriors including Chandrashekhar Azad, Gobind Ballabh Pant, and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, quickly went popular online. In response to the gaffe, Congress claimed that the BJP-RSS individual purposefully tampered with the banner and declared that they will look into the situation. The BJP was embarrassed and criticized, therefore the party reacted quickly and replaced the image of Savarkar on the "Bharat Jodo Yatra" campaign poster with a photo of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation. Notably, Congress has consistently criticised Savarkar for professing regret to the British rather than resisting them.
Rahul Gandhi, the head of the Congress, had earlier on Wednesday accused the BJP-led government of favouring big business. He also made fun of Gautam Adani, the country's richest industrialist, by claiming that "he can monopolise any industry he wants in the country."
He has the right to monopolise any industry in the nation. He may purchase any port or airport. He is able to rule the solar, power, and agricultural industries. Who provides him the funding to create these businesses? It is your money, it comes from public sector banks, said Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi made a subtle reference to Gautam Adani when he asked "who gives him money to create enterprises" while speaking to a crowd at Paravoor Junction in Aluva, Kochi, during a break in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Gautam Adani is the second-richest man on the globe, and he is from India.
Gandhi honoured the spiritual leader Sree Narayana Guru on Wednesday before starting his Yatra. "A motivating beginning to the day. Gandhi tweeted, "I have paid my respects to the great spiritual teacher, philosopher, and social reformer Sree Narayana Guru, whose teachings on equality are essential to the concept of the #BharatJodoYatra.
The 3,500 km march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir will take 150 days to complete and pass through up to 12 states. The Yatra will depart from Kerala and travel through the state for the following 18 days before arriving in Karnataka on September 30. Before travelling further north, it will spend 21 days in Karnataka. Every day, the Padyatra (march) will travel 25 kilometres.
Bharat Jodo Yatra 14th day: Rahul pays tributes to Sree Narayana Guru
Shashi Tharoor in Congress office to check delegate list, Gehlot in Delhi
Gehlot will not leave 'CM' post even after becoming Congress President!