Speaking at an event in San Francisco today, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said today that the government used "all its strength" to stop the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Mr. Gandhi arrived in San Francisco on Tuesday to begin a three-city tour of the United States. During his visit, he will meet with Indian expatriates and American lawmakers.
"The government used all its strength to stop the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The BJP is threatening people and misusing government agencies. But nothing worked and the impact of the Yatra increased. This happened because the idea of 'Join India' is in everyone's heart," Mr Gandhi said. "The Bharat Jodo Yatra started because all the instruments that we needed to connect with the people were controlled by the BJP-RSS."
The Bharat Jodo Yatra began in Kanyakumari on September 7 in 2022 and covered over 3,000 km before concluding in Srinagar on January 30 where Mr Gandhi raised the national flag.
"The Bharat Jodo Yatra carried the spirit of affection, respect and humility. If one studies history, it can be seen that all spiritual leaders-including Guru Nanak Dev ji, Guru Basavanna ji, Narayana Guru ji-united the nation in a similar way," Mr Gandhi said.
Mr Gandhi's comments come just weeks before Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit to the US. Prime Minister Modi will arrive in the US in June at the invitation of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. The US president and the First Lady will also host a state dinner for the PM on June 22.
At the community event in San Francisco, Mr Gandhi reiterated his party's call for a caste census. He said that it would be like an "x-ray" of society, revealing the extent of caste discrimination. He also said that schemes such as Nyay and MGNREGA would help in providing economic justice to the poor.
Mr Gandhi accused the BJP and the RSS of attacking the Constitution, and said that they were trying to divide the country on caste and religious lines.
The 52-year-old is expected to speak to Indian Americans, meet with Wall Street executives, and interact with university students during his six-day-long tour of the US. He is scheduled to conclude his trip with a public gathering in New York on June 4 at the Javits Center.
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