 "Anurag Thakur grills Cong over Bharat Jodo Yatra, says India already united")
Taking a pot shot at the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Friday said that India is already united under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Rahul Gandhi is going on Bharat Jodo yatra nowadays. But India is already united under the leadership of PM Modi," Anurag Thakur said at the inauguration event of various development schemes in Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur.
"There is not even a Rs 1 scam allegation on Modi government. The double-engine (BJP) government in both the Centre and State has worked together to take the state and country forward. We can't let the country get divided and must work with unity to take it forward,' he added.
Thakur's remarks came a day after PM Modi blow the poll bugle in the hill state on Thursday.
The Congress 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' is being held to combat the divisive politics of the BJP-led Centre, and to awaken the people of the country to the dangers of economic inequalities, social polarisation and political centralisation.
A 3,500-km march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir is undertaken by Rahul Gandhi andwill be completed in 150 days and cover as many as 12 states.
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After reaching Kerala on September 11, the Yatra will traverse through the state for the next 18 days, reaching Karnataka on September 30. It will be in Karnataka for 21 days before moving north.
Meanwhile, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Thursday took a swipe at Congress over the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra and said that their motive of "unification of India" would have been believed in if the party had abrogated Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir.
Taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma on Wednesday said there is no need for 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' and the Wayanad MP can instead work for 'Akhand Bharat'.
"From Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Silchar to Saurashtra, India is united. We are one nation. Congress disintegrated India in 1947. If Rahul Gandhi has any regret or apology that his grandfather made a mistake, then there is no use for the Bharat Jodo Yatra in India. Try to integrate Pakistan and Bangladesh (with India) and work for Akhand Bharat," he said.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said on Wednesday that the Congress leader should undertake a journey to unite his party instead.
The Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was doing the work for uniting the nation.
"I think that instead of doing the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi ji should do a 'Congress Jodo Yatra'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working to connect the country. I think Rahul Gandhi is travelling to break the country not to unite the country," Athawale told ANI on Wednesday.
However, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that the tricolour belongs to every religion, state and language, but it is under attack today by the BJP and the RSS that are dividing India on lines of religion and language.
Speaking at the launch of the Bharat Jodo Yatra at a rally on September 7, he said every single institution of the country is under attack as he sought the support of the people to help keep the country united.
Notably, all the party MPs, leaders and workers along with Rahul Gandhi will stay in the container for the next 150 days. Sleeping beds, toilets and AC are also installed in some of the containers. During the journey, the temperature and environment will differ in many areas. The arrangements have been made keeping in view the intense heat and humidity with the change of places.
The 148-day march will culminate in Kashmir. The five-month Yatra is scheduled to cover a distance of 3,500 kilometres and more than 12 states. The Padyatra (march) will cover a distance of 25 km every day.
The Yatra will include Padayatras, rallies, and public meetings which will be attended by the senior Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
The Congress suffered a debacle in the assembly polls held earlier this year and the Yatra is seen as an attempt to rally the party rank and file for the upcoming electoral battles.