Kerala Stands For Ideas Of Bharat Jodo Yatra: Rahul Gandhi

Lok Sabha MP from Kerala’s Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi, said on Sunday that the state is an extension of the ideas behind Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra as the Southern state respects everyone and does not allow itself to be ‘divided’.

Speaking at the end of the fifth day of the party’s pan India Yatra, Gandhi said, “Standing together, working together in harmony is natural and normal for the people of Kerala and you have shown this to the rest of the country.”

The former Congress president, who is on a 3,750 km long Yatra from Kanyakumari to Jammu and Kashmir, said: “It (Kerala) does not allow itself to be divided nor does it allow hatred to spread.” “Thus, in a sense, this Bharat Jodo Yatra is just an extension of the ideas that prevail in Kerala,” he added.

The Congress workers, along with Rahul Gandhi, entered Kerala on Saturday evening, four days after it started from Kanyakumari.

Sunday, the first day of the Yatra in the state, witnessed a huge turnout along the streets. Thousands of people joined the Yatra during the day as they continued their journey from Parassala to Nemom district of Kerala.

The first phase of the day’s yatra ended after a three-hour long walk at Neyyattinkara around 10.30 am.

During the day, Rahul Gandhi interacted with students of GR Public School and also handloom workers from Balaramapuram, which is famous for handloom garment manufacturing. Rahul Gandhi also paid tribute at the memorial of social reformer Ayyankali.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh took to Twitter and said, “During the afternoon break of the fourth day of Bharat Jodo Yatra Rahul Gandhi visited one of the most revered Smarakams in India. Sree Ayyankali was one of the greatest social reformers of the 20th century who empowered millions of deprived and discriminated, and remains iconic.”

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi has to spend the night at a school campus instead of the containers travelling with him. The move came after the CPM youth wing staged a sit-in protest against the Bharat Jodo Yatra camp.