Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Rahul Gandhi on Saturday resumed his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as Congress make efforts to revive itself ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
The padyatra commenced from Jama Masjid Chauraha in Moradabad to Sambhal Chauraha.
Hitting out at the BJP government, Rahul Gandhi said, "Narendra Modi ji tells you that this country is of everyone. However, 90 percent of people don't get any participation. If this 90 percent wants to have any participation, then the first step towards it should be caste census."
"This is what the BJP system is, one person will divert you by talking about Bollywood, surgical strike... Meanwhile, Amit Shah will keep an eye. In this country there are 50 per cent backwards, 15 per cent minorities, 15 per cent Dalit, and 8 per cent Adivasi. I want to ask you how much participation these 90 per cent have in this country... How many of these are in media, none... You'll see them in the list of MGNREGA but not in the big companies, the high courts, media. PM Modi says 'Hindustan sabka hai, ye sabka Hindustan kaise hai?' if 90 per cent aren't getting any participation...," Rahul Gandhi asked.
Slamming the UP government over paper leaks, Congress' National General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "28 lakh students wrote the exam for UP Police but the paper was leaked... As BJP's government is formed in the centre and state, unemployment rates have increased... Until you are not employed, you don't get facilities, paper leaks are not stopped, there will be no development. Change will happen only when you cast your vote according to your experiences."
"You voted for BJP, Yogi (Adityanath) in assembly elections, I want to ask you all whether your real issues like price rise, unemployment, paper leaks - have they been resolved? I want to ask you that what you were thinking while casting your vote? Has there been any development in the brass (peetal) industry here," she asked.
Earlier, when asked about whether Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will join brother Rahul, senior party leader Jairam Ramesh said, "Yes, she will definitely join (the yatra) today. This is the 42nd day of the yatra. We are resuming from Moradabad today... Tomorrow, on the 25th, the yatra will resume from Sambhal... we will reach Agra later in the day where we hope Akhilesh Yadav to be there... From 26th Feb-1st March, there will be a break (in the yatra) because there are meetings in Delhi and Rahul Gandhi has to visit Cambridge University on 27-28 February. On 2nd March, we will again begin from Dholpur...On 5th March, Rahul Gandhi will visit Mahakaleshwar Mandir in Ujjain for darshan."
Akhilesh to join Rahul's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on Sunday
The Samajwadi Party has said its chief Akhilesh Yadav will attend Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Agra on February 25.
Congress leaders visited the Samajwadi Party office in the afternoon on Thursday and extended an invitation to Yadav to join the yatra in Agra.
Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai, senior party leader PL Punia and others visited the SP office with the invitation letter from party president Mallikarjun Kharge.
"I have received the letter as Akhilesh Yadav is not in Lucknow," SP National Secretary Rajendra Chaudhury said.
Yadav will join the yatra in Agra at 2 pm on February 25, he said.
The two INDIA bloc allies on Wednesday announced the seat-sharing arrangement for the Lok Sabha polls according to which the Congress will contest 17 out of the 80 seats in the state.
Kamal Nath supports Rahul's Yatra
Days after his Delhi visit led to speculation about plans to join the BJP, Congress veteran Kamal Nath on Friday took to social media to drum up support for "our leader" Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra which will enter Madhya Pradesh next month.
Gandhi had spoken to 77-year-old Nath over phone and urged him not to leave the party after the former chief minister and his son, MP Nakul Nath landed in Delhi last week, party sources said.
"The people of Madhya Pradesh and Congress workers are thrilled to welcome Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra," Kamal Nath wrote on X (formerly Twitter) in the evening.
"Our leader Rahul Gandhi has hit the streets across the country and declared a decisive fight against injustice, oppression and exploitation," the former Union Minister added.
Nath appealed to the people of the state and the Congress "to become strength and courage for Rahul Gandhi" by joining the Yatra.
"Jointly you all and I will bring this great campaign against injustice to a logical end," he wrote.
Earlier in the day, a state Congress spokesperson said Nath will reach Gwalior on March 2 and participate in the yatra till March 6.
With inputs from agencies
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