(Combining several reports)
The road from Badarpur to Ashram was decked up with tricolours, balloons and banners of Rahul Gandhi as the Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Delhi early Saturday morning.
Scores of people from Haryana and Delhi joined the Yatra at the Badarpur border and raised “Bharat Jodo” (unite India) and “Rahul Gandhi Zindabad” slogans. With the beating of drums and playing patriotic songs, the enthusiasm of the Congress Yatris was at its peak.
Party workers had lined up along the route and showered flower petals on the Yatris.
Addressing a gathering at the Delhi border, Rahul Gandhi said, “They spread hatred, we spread love and embrace all Indians”.
“There is Hindustan and ‘Mohabbat’ (love) in this Bharat Jodo yatra, which does not see any caste, creed, religion, rich or poor and all embrace each other,” he told a large gathering here.
“RSS/BJP’s all policies are to spread fear. They want that everyone should have fear in them and they convert this ‘dar’ into ‘nafrat’ (fear into hatred). If there is no ‘dar’, it will not be converted into ‘nafrat’. We say ‘daro mat’. We spread Mohabbat. We embrace all Indians,” he said.
Gandhi alleged that the BJP/RSS has done nothing but spread hatred and the yatra aims to show a different way to India of uniting people through love.
“As I had said a few days ago that in this market of hatred, we will open up a shop to spread love in society, every Indian should open a small shop to spread love. You would have seen there is no hatred in this yatra,” he also said, alleging that only a handful of people are spreading this hatred but the majority of Indians talk of uniting people.
“I have walked from Kanyakumari and I can say there is only love and no hatred across the country, it is the media which is showing it…,” he said.
The former Congress chief said this yatra is against unemployment, price rise, fear and hatred and we will not allow anyone to break India and will keep fighting.
He said, he is not tired even after walking 3,000 km and it is because “you have given your love and energy and I want to thank everyone. India has helped us and we will never forget that.”
Gandhi was earlier accorded a warm welcome at the Badarpur border in Delhi with local party workers joining the yatra in large numbers, as the yatra left Haryana and entered the national capital.
Gandhi also thanked the people of Haryana for showering so much love and according to the yatra a very warm welcome to them.
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi too joined march and walked with Rahul Gandhi for a short distance. Wearing a face mask, she walked with her son and daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for a few minutes before the yatra reached the Ashram Chowk.
माँ की ममता, बहन का स्नेह, देश का प्यार,
ये मिले तो हर मक़ाम मुक्कमल हो जाता है।#BharatJodoYatra pic.twitter.com/E0BpslBaht— Bharat Jodo (@bharatjodo) December 24, 2022
Security from Badarpur to Ashram was beefed up, with barricades erected and teams of police personnel deployed at multiple points.
Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar said the BJP is scared of Bharat Jodo Yatra as it is getting a huge response from people.
“They are scared of this Yatra, that’s the reason they are coming up with such excuses. Rahul Gandhi ji is spreading love and peace in the country,” Kumar said, alleging that the BJP is trying to stop the Yatra.
A large number of workers from Delhi Congress-led by Delhi unit chief Anil Chaudhary welcomed Rahul Gandhi and the Yatris at the Delhi border in Badarpur. The Yatra entered Delhi from the Faridabad side in Haryana.
Senior party leaders, including former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kumari Selja, Randeep Surjewala, Shaktisinh Gohil and others, accompanied Rahul Gandhi who is leading the Yatra.
The Yatra will make its morning halt in the national capital at Ashram chowk at 11am and will resume its journey at 1pm. After traversing through Mathura road, India Gate and ITO, it will halt near the Red Fort.
