Rahul Gandhi took a potshot on the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP government in Assam dubbing it the “most corrupt government” in the country.
Embarking on the Assam leg of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra Begins amid political heat on Thursday, the Congress leader, while dismissing the BJP claim that such marches wouldn’t benefit the party, said last year’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ had reshaped the “political narrative” of the nation.
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Speaking to party workers at Halowating in the Sivasagar district, where the march entered Assam from Nagaland, Gandhi accused the ruling BJP and its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), of “spreading hatred and looting public money”.
“Arguably, the most corrupt government in India is in Assam. We will bring up the issues of Assam during the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’,” he declared.
Shedding light on the situation in Manipur, Rahul Gandhi likened it to civil war. He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting Manipur and seemingly overlooking the challenges faced by the people of the strife-torn state.
“There is a civil war-like situation in Manipur, but till today, the PM has not visited the state,” he remarked.
Expressing optimism, Gandhi said he anticipates that the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra would garner support in Assam. “Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra received good support in Nagaland. It is expected that the Yatra will receive the same cooperation and loving support in Assam as well,” said the Congress MP.
The Congress party has framed the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra as a protest against the “injustice meted out by the ruling Narendra Modi-led BJP government”.
“The Yatra aims to provide everyone a platform to voice their concerns,” the Congress party asserted, adding, “We stand united against the overall neglect of northeast states by the ruling BJP.”
The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is slated to cover over 880 kilometers, spanning 17 districts in Assam over approximately eight days.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma cast doubt on the potential for justice for Angkita Dutta, intensifying the ongoing political clash surrounding Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
Sarma expressed skepticism about the efficacy of Rahul Gandhi’s yatra, stating, “How will Angkita Dutta get justice from Rahul Gandhi when the 900 martyrs of the Assam movement are still awaiting justice? Congress dropped bombs in Mizoram’s Aizawl. Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra seems more like a trip for the ‘Miya’ community than a genuine effort to address the concerns of the people.”
As the yatra entered Assam, former Assam Youth Congress President Angkita Dutta staged a protest, demanding justice from the Congress leader over her claim of sexual assault by another party worker.
Angkita, who was once the head of Assam’s Youth Congress, found herself expelled from the party last year.
