Media notices my T-shirt, but ignores poor farmers, labourers in torn clothes: Rahul Gandhi
Baghpat (UP), Jan 4: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the purpose of party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' is to remove fear from the people's minds and highlight issues like price rise and unemployment.
Amid raging talks about his wearing T-shirt in the winter during the yatra, Gandhi said the media is highlighting his attire but "taking no notice of the poor farmers and labourers walking along with him in torn clothes".
Addressing a 'nukkad sabha' (street corner meeting) at Baraut on Baghpat-Shamli border during the yatra, Gandhi said despite covering a distance of more than 3,000 kms on foot in 110 days, he is neither feeling tired nor sizzling in the cold in T-shirt.
Taking potshots at the media, he said, "I call them 'mitra' (friend) but they are not performing the duty of a friend as they do not raise the real issues out of fear of their bosses."
"Since the media is not highlighting the issues of people, we thought of raising matters relating to demonetisation, wrong GST, price rise, unemployment in the Parliament, but there the mike was switched off. So we thought let's walk from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, listen to the people," the former Congress chief said.
He said the focus of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' is to remove 'dar' (fear) from the people's minds and raise the issue of price rise and unemployment.
After a brief address at the meeting, Gandhi left for Delhi.
The UP leg of 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' will resume Thursday morning from Shamli from where it will enter Haryana.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari on September 7, will end with the hoisting of the national flag by Gandhi in Srinagar on January 30.
Over the 108 days, the march has covered 49 districts in nine states and one Union Territory Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi.
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UN Sec Gen Antonio Guterres welcomes India, Pakistan ceasefire announcement
United Nations, May 10 (PTI): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, describing it as a “positive step” toward ending current hostilities and easing tensions.
Guterres “hopes the agreement will contribute to lasting peace and foster an environment conducive to addressing broader, longstanding issues between the two countries”, a statement issued by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said.
The UN chief “welcomes the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan as a positive step toward ending current hostilities and easing tensions”, it said.
The United Nations stands ready to support efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability in the region, the statement added.
The ceasefire came hours after India and Pakistan attacked each other’s military facilities, dangerously escalating the ongoing conflict.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said India and Pakistan have agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire after a “long night of talks mediated by Washington”.
“After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that over the past 48 hours, Vice President J D Vance and he engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, “including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik”.
“I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site,” he said.
“We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace,” Rubio said.
“India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in a social media post.
The announcement came days after India carried out Operation Sindoor striking nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir to avenge the Pahalgam attack. Since the operation, Pakistan targeted various Indian military installations without success.
