BJP spreads hatred, 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' about communal harmony: Rahul Gandhi

Tribune News Service

Aman Sood and Surinder Bhardwaj

Fatehgarh Sahib, January 11

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi paid obeisance at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib this morning before beginning the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ in the state.

Claiming that the country stands for respect, unity and integrity, he started the yatra blaming the BJP for spreading disharmony.

Sporting a neatly tied red turban and a half-sleeved T-shirt for the day, never for a moment, he looked uncomfortable amid the biting cold.

Rahul was accompanied by Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and others.

Rahul, who reached Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib last evening and stayed for the night there, was welcomed by party workers, who gathered early morning to get a glimpse of their leader.

In his address, Rahul said the BJP was spreading hatred so he decided to undertake the yatra to spread love and communal harmony. “People are fed up listening and listening. It is high time they are heard by those in power. Therefore, the primary objective of this yatra is to listen more and speak less,” he told the supporters.

He said when the yatra started from Tamil Nadu, many people felt that it would not get much response in the BJP-ruled Karnataka.

“It was received well in Karnataka than in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. This disturbed the BJP cadre so much that they started saying that the yatra will not get any response in Maharashtra. But the Maharashtra response was overwhelming. Then they said it would not get any takers in the Hindi-dominated belt of Madhya Pradesh, but MP people blessed us with even more love. Then the BJP leaders said since Haryana has BJP government, the response would be lukewarm. Rather Haryana had people from different fields joining us,” he said. “In Punjab, it will be better than Haryana”, he stated.

During the yatra, he met people from different walks of life. He interacted with college students and asked them about their future dreams. Senior Punjab leaders interacted with him on the way.

As the yatra crossed Mandi Gobindgarh, he listened to industrialists and safai karamcharis patiently. He was seen breaking his security cordon many times to meet locals. At one time, he even met a labourer who was eager to hug him and he didn’t disappoint the man.

Walking barefoot

Amid biting cold, a picture of the Congress leader surfaced where he was seen walking barefoot.The picture was taken after Rahul visited a dargah on the Sirhind-Bassi Pathana road.

Welcomed with rose petals

On the way to Khanna college, girls showered rose petals on him and a few of them even shouted, asking Rahul to marry them, leaving him blushing.

Had aloo parantha at dhaba

Rahul made a halt at a dhaba and savoured aloo parantha and waited patiently for a cup of tea while leaders were seen trying to get warmth from the dhaba tandoor. Ex-AAP MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi also walked with Rahul

‘Jago’ at Khanna

To welcome Rahul, his supporters carried out a ‘jago’ at Khanna where he will stay for the night

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