Sibal hails Bharat Jodo Yatra, says Rahul made people realise how important unity is for country
New Delhi, Jan 15: Former Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Sunday hailed the Bharat Jodo Yatra, saying Rahul Gandhi has been able to bring together disparate elements of society and make them realise how important it is to ensure unity in the country.
Sibal, who quit the Congress last year, said the party's Kanyakumari to Kashmir Yatra "optically" seems to have succeeded and gotten the support of non-Congress elements as well.
In an interview with PTI, Sibal said conceptually the Yatra is a "wonderful idea".
"I think that he (Rahul), during the course of his march, has been able to bring together disparate elements of society and make them realise how important it is to ensure unity in our country and that respect for diversity is at the heart of our nation moving forward," the former Union minister said.
"Yes, Bharat Jodo Yatra is something that needs to be lauded. Now as far as its political impact is concerned, I think people are confusing the concept behind the yatra and relating it to a pure political act which I don't think it is," said Sibal.
He said what the yatra intends to do is to show to the people that there are two ideologies that they should choose from, with 'Bharat Jodo' being the one end of the spectrum as opposed to the other end "which we all know is represented by whom".
Sibal, who was among the leaders of the group of 23 that had written to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in 2020 seeking large-scale organisational reforms, had quit the party last year and was re-elected to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh with the support of the Samajwadi Party.
Since quitting Congress, Sibal has refrained from commenting on its affairs.
Asked whether the yatra has succeeded, Sibal said, "To the extent conceptually, certainly, and what I see of the support within the public, of non-Congress elements, I would say that optically it seems to have succeeded."
Talking about Opposition unity, Sibal said with the Lok Sabha elections not too far away, leaders of the Opposition need to come together.
"How that will happen is something I cannot comment on. I think what we need today, apart from political collaboration among different political parties, is also a people's movement," he asserted.
Asked whether he would join the Bharat Jodo Yatra going forward, the senior Supreme Court advocate said, "I am trying to sort of take the yatra forward in courts."
Besides participation from tinsel town celebrities, writers, military veterans, including former Navy chief admiral L Ramdas and former army chief Gen Deepak Kapoor, Opposition leaders such as Shiv Sena's Aaditya Thackeray, Priyanka Chaturvedi, the NCP's Supriya Sule, and National Conference's Farooq Abdullah, have also joined the march at various points.
The Yatra, which is currently in Punjab after traversing the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi, will end with the hoisting of the national flag by Rahul Gandhi in Srinagar on January 30.
Several Opposition party chiefs and leaders have been invited for the Yatra's finale in Srinagar.
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Jaishankar holds bilateral talks with U.S. counterpart Rubio, NSA Mike Waltz after Quad ministerial
Washington (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday attended the maiden Quad ministerial of the new Trump administration along with his counterparts from Australia, Japan and the United States, besides holding meetings with newly-appointed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
Quad is a grouping of four countries aimed at maintaining peace and law and order in the Indo-Pacific region.
In less than an hour after entering the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department as the secretary of state, Rubio, 53, held his first multilateral with his Quad counterparts Jaishankar, Penny Wong from Australia and Japan's Iwaya Takeshi.
The four leaders posed for a group picture at the State Department towards the end of the hour-long meeting. However, they did not take any questions. A readout of the meeting is expected later.
The meeting was to reaffirm the importance of working with allies across the world on things that are important to America and Americans, Rubio told NBC News earlier in the day.
"Attended a productive Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting today in Washington DC. Thank @secrubio for hosting us and FMs @SenatorWong and Takeshi Iwaya for their participation," Jaishankar posted on X after the ministerial.
He added, "Significant that the Quad FMM took place within hours of the inauguration of the Trump administration. This underlines the priority it has in the foreign policy of its member states. Our wide-ranging discussions addressed different dimensions of ensuring a free, open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
"Agreed on the importance of thinking bigger, deepening the agenda and intensifying our collaboration. The meeting today sends a clear message that in an uncertain and volatile world, the Quad will continue to be a force for global good."
Soon after the Quad ministerial, Rubio had his first bilateral with Jaishankar, which lasted for more than an hour.
India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Kwatra, was also present in the meeting.
Rubio and Jaishankar appeared before a pooled press for a photo session after the meeting, shaking hands and smiling at the cameras.
"Delighted to meet @secrubio for his first bilateral meeting after assumption of office as Secretary of State. Reviewed our extensive bilateral partnership, of which @secrubio has been a strong advocate.
"Also exchanged views on a wide range of regional and global issues. Look forward to closely working with him to advance our strategic cooperation," Jaishankar said in a post on X.
Jaishankar, 70, who is here at the invitation of the US government to attend the presidential inauguration, also had a meeting with the US National Security Advisor (NSA) Mike Waltz at the White House.
"Great to meet NSA @michaelgwaltz again this afternoon. Discussed strengthening our friendship to ensure mutual benefit and enhance global stability and prosperity. Looking forward to working together on an active and outcome oriented agenda," the external affairs minister said on X after the meeting.
