In a show of opposition strength, leaders of several national and regional parties on Monday braved snowfall and bone-chilling cold to share the stage with Congress leaders at a rally organised to mark the culmination of the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday recalled a message from his elder brother and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi before entering Kashmir in which he said he had a “unique feeling of going home”. Addressing an event in Srinagar to mark the culmination of Bharat Jodo Yatra, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said people came out in support of the Bharat Jodo Yatra whereever Rahul Gandhi went during his nearly five-month-long foot march because “there still remains a passion in this country for “this land and its diversity.”
“My brother walked for 4-5 months from Kanyakumari. Wherever they went, people came out for them. Why? Because there still remains a passion in this country- for the country, for this land, for its diversity that resides in hearts of all Indians,” she said.
“When my brother was coming to Kashmir, he sent a message to my mother and me. He said he has a unique feeling of going home. He said his family members are waiting for him. They come and hug him with tears in their eyes and their pain and emotions are entering his own hear,” the Congress leader added.
“Standing here, I can say that the politics going on in the country is something which can’t benefit the nation. A politics that divides and breaks, affects the nation. So, in a way, this was a spiritual yatra.”
The Congress rally was held at the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium amid tight security and heavy snowfall. Besides Congress president Mallikarjun Karge and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Wayanad Lok Sabha MP was also joined by leaders from DMK, JMM, BSP, NC, PDP, CPI, RSP, VCK and IUML.
Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Confrence (NC) leader Omar Abdullah asked Rahul Gandhi to undertake another yatra from west to east of the country.
“On this last function of the yatra, I congratulate Gandhi on behalf of myself, my father and my party. This yatra has been successful. This yatra has shown that there are people in the country who like the BJP but there are also those who like the other idea which is of brotherhood,” he said
“I request Rahul Gandhi to undertake a yatra from west to east. I would like to walk with him,” Abdullah added.
source: hindustantimes
