Congress fighting political challenges, Bharat Jodo Yatra has brought unity in party: Jairam Ramesh
Hingoli/Washim (PTI): The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra has brought unity in the Congress in the last 70 days as the party has been fighting political challenges, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Tuesday.
The foot march, a mass contact initiative of the Congress, entered its 69th day on Tuesday and reached Washim district in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra from Hingoli.
Addressing a press conference in Washim, Ramesh said Gandhi will also address a public meeting of tribals on the occasion of the birth anniversary of iconic tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda.
Targeting the Centre, Ramesh claimed the Forest Rights Act and the Land Acquisition Act 2013 have been weakened and this is specially harmful for tribals.
The legislations were brought during the rule of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
Ramesh alleged that the Narendra Modi government's policy was to forcefully take the land of farmers and give it to the big companies.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra has nothing to do with the vote bank. It's purpose is above politics, the Congress leader said.
"It is the yatra of a political party and we are fighting political challenges," he said.
"One thing is clearly seen that the way our party has united in the last 70 days...the way we have started working on time. There is an Indian Standard Time and there is a Congress Standard Time," he added.
On Tuesday morning, Gandhi started the foot march from Phalegaon in Hingoli district. Ramesh, former Maharashtra minister Yashomati Thakur and other party leaders walked along with Gandhi.
Ramesh remembered tribal leader Birsa Munda on his birth anniversary on Tuesday.
He posted a tweet saying, "Today is the 69th day of #BharatJodoYatra and the 147th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, born just 15 days later than Sardar Patel. But tragically, he died in a British jail in Ranchi at the very young age of 25."
"An adivasi (not vanvasi as the RSS calls tribals), Birsa Munda should be an inspiration to ALL Indians. The causes for which he laid down his life, particularly tribal land rights are still most relevant today," Ramesh added.
The government had last year declared November 15 as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas' on the birth anniversary of Munda to remember the contribution of tribal freedom fighters.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Kanniyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, has so far covered 28 districts in six states.
It entered Deglur in Maharashtra on November 7 and has till now covered Nanded and Hingoli districts in the state.
The yatra will cover a distance of 382 km across five districts of Maharashtra before entering Madhya Pradesh on November 20.
It will pass through 12 states before culminating in Jammu and Kashmir in January after covering a distance of 3,570 km over nearly 150 days.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Amit Shah remarks about Ambedkar: Cong MLA Kuzhalnadan questions Kerala CM's 'silence'
Kochi (PTI): Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan on Friday said it was surprising that the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan have not yet reacted to the alleged slight of B R Ambedkar by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Parliament a few days ago.
Kuzhalnadan, at a press briefing here, said all the CMs of non-BJP states, including M K Stalin from neighbouring Tamil Nadu, have strongly opposed Shah's remarks about Ambedkar, but both Vijayan and CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan have been silent so far.
"The vigour shown by the CPI(M) in defending Veena T (Vijayan's daughter) was not shown by it when Ambedkar was insulted. It shows what is the status of the CPI(M)."
"I believe the reason for this is that Pinarayi Vijayan is scared of reacting against Amit Shah. He is scared of what his and his daughter's fate would be if he reacts against Shah. There are a lot of central agencies probing cases against Vijayan and his daughter," the MLA from Muvattupuzha said.
He said the Left party was heavily indebted to the people belonging to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities. Despite that it has not reacted against Shah.
"It is highly unfortunate that the Kerala CM has not reacted or taken a stand on the issue. It is condemnable and an insult to the state. This has not been the stand of Kerala in the past."
"The CPI(M) has weakened its political standing to protect the CM's family, especially his daughter," Kuzhalnadan contended.
Shah on Tuesday had said in the Rajya Sabha that Congress leaders would have got a place in heaven had they chanted the name of God rather than following the fashion of repeating Ambedkar's name.
The Home Minister's remarks have resulted in intense protests from the opposition inside and outside the Parliament with the Congress demanding his resignation.
