BJP, RSS have spread hatred and violence everywhere: Rahul Gandhi
Raichur, Oct 21: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the BJP and RSS of spreading hatred and violence everywhere in the country, as he also targeted the saffron party governments at both the Centre and state on a host of issues.
The former AICC president was addressing the gathering at Yeragera here at the end of the 44th day of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which began at Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh this morning.
"If we see this country and the region today, BJP and RSS have spread hatred and violence everywhere. This country is not the country of hatred and violence and they won't benefit this country in any way," Gandhi said.
Thanking the people for giving strength and support for the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by him, he said, "You have given power for unifying India, stood against hatred and violence. You have protected the Indian flag and taken it up much higher, from the people who are attacking it by spreading hatred and violence in the country."
The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Gandhi on Friday re-entered Karnataka here, after three days in neighboring Andhra Pradesh.
The yatra that entered the state near Gillesuguru at Raichur border, will march through the rural and urban segments of the district, before entering neighbouring Telangana on the morning of October 23.
Noting that walking a total distance of about 3,500 km is not easy, Gandhi said that the support, strength and love of people has made it a bit easy for him. "It is you, who are pushing me ahead."
He said the yatra is being taken out for three reasons -- to unite the country and eradicate hatred, to tell BJP and Narendra Modi-led government that they should fulfill their promise of creating two crore jobs for youth every year, and against price raise.
Pointing out that during the 7-8 hours long walk every day as part of this yatra, he and his party leaders listen to farmers, labourers, youth and women, Gandhi said they share their concerns and difficulties.
Speaking about the tax/GST on fertilisers, tractors, pesticides and diesel, he said farmers say that they are able to save only a meagre amount of money.
"Farmers, especially cotton farmers, shared their plight due to crop destruction because of rains. They also said that the BJP government hasn't done anything for them. This is the plight of Karnataka's farmers," he added.
Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of imposing demonetisation and "wrong GST" on the country, the Wayanad MP said small and medium traders and industries "are all finished because of it".
Stating that India is unable to provide jobs to its educated youth today and that he has met hundreds of them during the yatra, he said, "The world's second richest man is from India. India's Prime Minister has given him the country's infrastructure completely like airports, ports, agri business, road work, and is now giving him telecom sector too."
"In India on one side, there are the world's richest people, while on the other there are the world's most unemployed," he remarked.
Questioning as to where the pockets of these rich are getting money, he further said, "Whose money is this? It belongs to India's farmers, labourers and you (the common people)."
Alleging that the BJP government in Karnataka has broken all records of corruption with 40 per cent commission on everything, Gandhi said, "Even to make pakodas, 40 per cent commisison has to be given... Sub-inspector's job is available for Rs 80 lakh."
Further claiming credit on behalf of Congress for implementing Article 371J, which grants special status to six backward districts of Hyderabad-Karnataka region, while pointing out that BJP had refused to do it, he highlighted the education, employment and infrastructure-related benefits that the region has gained because of the provision.
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Post poll TN alliances divided in supporting TVK
Chennai (PTI): In a changed political atmosphere in Tamil Nadu with no single political party having a simple majority to form the government post the Assembly election, opinion is divided among the allies led by the Dravidian majors in extending external support to Vijay-led TVK in government formation.
Both the DMK and AIADMK are at unease as the Congress and also a section in the AIADMK express willingness to extend external support to Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagtam in forming the government.
Post poll, the TVK's political prospects appear to impact alliances led by both the Dravidian majors in a different manner, triggering a speculation of a split.
Leema Rose Martin, who won from Lalgudi on an AIADMK ticket, has stated that talks were underway on extending support to the TVK. Her son-in-law Aadhav Arjuna, who won from Villivakkam is TVK's general secretary.
On May 5, former AIADMK minister O S Manian, emerging from his meeting with party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, stated that AIADMK would not support TVK in forming the government.
The AIADMK, which finished third in the elections with 47 seats has cancelled its meeting of MLAs designate on Wednesday amidst a difference in extending external support to the TVK, which won 108 seats, including two seats by its founder Vijay.
As Vijay is gearing up for his swearing-in on May 7, the police have tightened security at his residence here. The party has lodged its MLA-elect at a resort in Mamallapuram and has simultaneously engaged in talks with the Congress and AIADMK, a source said.
The DMK that won 59 seats on its own, has convened a meeting of its newly elected legislators on May 7 evening and the party is likely to elect the youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin, who won from Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni as its legislature party leader.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal admitted that TVK chief Vijay requested the Congress for support to form the government.
"The INC is clear that the mandate in Tamil Nadu is for a secular government, committed to protecting the Constitution in letter and spirit. The INC is determined not to allow the BJP and its proxies to run the government of Tamil Nadu in any manner. Thiru Vijay has also spoken about drawing inspiration from Perunthalaivar Kamaraj," he said.
Accordingly, the Congress leadership has directed the TNCC to take a final decision on Vijay’s request, keeping in view the sentiments of the state as reflected in the electoral verdict, Venugopal said in a statement.
DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai slammed the Congress decision and said the move to ally with TVK, pledging the support of its five MLAs to the party, was tantamount to "backstabbing the DMK and the people of Tamil Nadu."
"They have betrayed the mandate given by the people. Even before the ink on the returning officer’s signature on the victory certificate has dried, they have chosen to go ahead with this alliance," he told PTI.
The most important question was who took this "foolhardy decision, and how is it going to backfire on the Congress?" he asked.
"I don’t think they had any serious deliberation on this. The larger issue is their opposition to the BJP, which is their ideological enemy. We have supported the Congress throughout. It was our leader M K Stalin, who named Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate when the BJP and RSS were criticising him. And now, within a day, they say they are supporting TVK. This is not the mandate of the people of Tamil Nadu,” Saravanan said.
The Congress' exit from its long-standing alliance with the DMK will be a significant moment in the political scenario of the state, commentator and political analyst Sumanth Raman said.
The Congress may be betting on the TVK as a long-term partner option, but that comes with risks, as the TVK is as yet an unknown quantity, he said.
"For the DMK, if the TVK+Congress becomes the choice of the minorities as it well could, it is an existential threat. It was the minority vote that gave the DMK alliance a 12%-15% cushion in the polls. If that goes, their chances of winning drops dramatically," Raman said on 'X.'
The Congress won 5 seats. However, DMK's other allies, the IUML, VCK, CPI and CPI (M) and DMDK have categorically stated that they would not support TVK.
As of now, the TVK requires the support of 11 MLAs to attain a simple majority of 118 to form the government.
The PMK, which won 4 seats and AMMK one - both allies of AIADMK - have not announced their decision yet.
"AIADMK’s real post-result drama may not be outside the party, but inside it. Whispers from the west and north suggest that a Coimbatore hand and a Villupuram voice may soon ask the question everyone is avoiding: Is it time to save the party from the leadership, before the cadre are forced to do it themselves? In politics, coups don’t begin with slogans. They begin with silence, phone calls and “review meetings,” Aspire Swaminathan, who is credited with founding the AIADMK IT wing in 2014, said on 'X.'
He has resigned from the AIADMK in 2021 and now acts an as independent political analyst.
