Mission remains to ensure voice of love heard in every corner of country: Rahul on BJY anniversary
New Delhi (PTI): On the second anniversary of the launch of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the yatra proved that Indians were inherently loving people and "today our mission remains to ensure that the voice of love is heard in every corner of the country".
"The Bharat Jodo Yatra taught me the beauty of silence. In the midst of cheering crowds and slogans, I discovered the power to tune out the noise and focus entirely on the person next to me -- to truly listen," Gandhi said in a post on X.
"In those 145 days, and the two years since, I've listened to thousands of Indians from diverse backgrounds. Each voice has carried wisdom, teaching me something new, and each has represented our beloved Bharat Mata," the former Congress chief said.
The yatra proved that Indians are inherently loving people, he said.
"When I started this journey I said love will conquer hate and hope will defeat fear, today our mission remains the same -- to ensure the voice of Bharat Mata, the voice of love is heard in every corner of our beloved country," Gandhi said, using the hashtag 'Bharat judne tak'.
Gandhi launched the yatra from Kanyakumari on September 7, 2022. It culminated on January 30, 2023, as he capped the ambitious 145-day journey in Srinagar.
During the course of the march, Gandhi addressed 12 public meetings, more than 100 street corner meetings and 13 press conferences. He had over 275 planned walking interactions and more than 100 sitting interactions.
With more than 4,000 kilometres under his belt, Gandhi managed to catch the attention of his supporters as well as detractors. The march witnessed participation from a cross-section of society, including film and TV celebrities such as Kamal Haasan, Pooja Bhatt, Riya Sen, Swara Bhasker, Rashami Desai, Akanksha Puri and Amol Palekar.
Besides, writers and military veterans, including former Army chief Gen (Retd) Deepak Kapoor and ex-Navy chief Admiral (Retd) L Ramdas, and noted people such as former Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan and ex-finance secretary Arvind Mayaram also participated in the yatra.
Opposition leaders such as the National Conference's Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, People's Democratic Party's Mehbooba Mufti, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Aaditya Thackeray, Priyanka Chaturvedi and Sanjay Raut, and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader Supriya Sule also walked alongside Gandhi at various points during the march.
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“Goli maro…” slogan raised as ABVP-linked group disrupts play at University of Hyderabad
Hyderabad: A group allegedly linked to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) disrupted a theatre performance at the University of Hyderabad on Sunday evening. The group is also accused of vandalising property and assaulting students.
Slogans such as “Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maro…” were raised during the incident, according to eyewitnesses.
According to the Observer Post, the disruption happened as Mahesh Elkunchwar's play Holi was being staged at the Department of Theatre Arts' GB Hall. The group reportedly objected to certain portions of the play, claiming that some phrases hurt religious sentiments.
According to accounts from those present, the situation escalated when individuals forced their way into the venue after damaging fixtures and breaking glass panels outside the auditorium. Students attempting to intervene were reportedly assaulted, and a guest faculty member was allegedly threatened.
Several students sustained injuries and were provided initial treatment at the campus health centre before being shifted to a nearby hospital.
Police later arrived at the scene, brought the situation under control, and escorted those inside the hall to safety. Witnesses said tensions remained high, with some members of the group continuing to raise slogans during the evacuation.
