Congress Refuses to Stop Bharat Jodo Yatra After Covid Warning from Modi Govt
Congress Refuses to Stop Bharat Jodo Yatra After Covid Warning from Modi Govt
The Bharat Jodo Yatra has also provided a temporary relief to Rahul Gandhi from the investigations that he and his mother Sonia Gandhi have been facing in a money-laundering case.
By Rakesh Raman
The perpetual opposition party Congress has refused to suspend the Bharat Jodo Yatra, as the government of prime minister (PM) Narendra Modi has asked Congress to observe Covid-19 protocol.
According to reports, a health minister in the Modi government has written to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to discontinue his Bharat Jodo Yatra (or Unite India March) in national interest as there is a new Covid fear in the country.
The Modi minister has asked Congress leader to allow only vaccinated people to join the march and they should also wear face masks to prevent the spread of the virus.
However, Congress argues that the Modi government should first stop other such marches of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of PM Modi. Congress adds that PM Modi was not stopped from holding public rallies in Gujarat where Modi frequently campaigned to win the recent Gujarat Assembly election.
Congress believes that the Modi government wants to stop the Bharat Jodo Yatra by hook or by crook because the Yatra aims to highlight the Modi government’s failures and its divisive policies.
PURPOSELESS BHARAT JODO YATRA
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been leading the Bharat Jodo Yatra since September 7, 2022 from Kanyakumari. The Yatra aims to cover over 3,500 kilometers to reach Kashmir in 5 months.
Thousands of Congress supporters walk with Rahul Gandhi for nearly 20 kilometers everyday. The ageing Congress leader shows an ostentatious affection for people with his avoidable physical embrace. He shakes hands with men and puts his arms around girls and women who walk with him.
Although Bharat Jodo Yatra is a purposeless event which has no political meaning for the dying Congress party, it has given an escape route to Rahul Gandhi to evade accountability as Congress was repeatedly losing elections under his fragile leadership.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra has also provided a temporary relief to Rahul Gandhi from the investigations that he and his mother Sonia Gandhi have been facing in a money-laundering case.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) of India – which investigates serious financial crime cases – has been calling Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi to appear for questioning in the alleged money-laundering case.
Now it is difficult for the ED to call the Congress leaders for hearings as they are participating in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. It will look like a political revenge of the Modi regime if the ED calls them for questioning now when the Yatra is underway.
Therefore, there is a likelihood that when the Bharat Jodo Yatra ends in January 2023, Rahul Gandhi will lead another long event without any political purpose to evade accountability and dodge the ED dragnet.
By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of the humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society. He has also launched the “Power Play: Lok Sabha Election 2024 in India” editorial section to cover the news, events, and other developments related to the 2024 election.
