Jalpaiguri/Siliguri: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi began the 13th day of his Bharat Jodo Nyay yatra from West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district after a two-day break on Sunday. The Congress MP resumed his journey amid the shock to the INDIA alliance in the form of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's exit from Mahagathbandhan.
Amidst differences in opposition bloc INDIA over seat sharing with TMC in Bengal for Lok sabha polls, Gandhi called on the Bengal and Bengalis to spearhead the battle against prevailing injustices in the nation. His statement, delivered during the Yatra in North Bengal, followed closely after Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee's announcement that her party would contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections independently in the state.
Expressing gratitude for the warm reception in West Bengal, Gandhi remarked, "Bengal holds a special place. Bengal led the ideological fight during the Independence struggle. Bengal and Bengalis must lead from the front to combat injustice, foster unity, and curb hatred in the present circumstances."
He emphasised, "If you don't rise to the occasion, people will never forgive you. It is not about any single individual; it is about Bengal showing the way and leading in this fight." Although Gandhi refrained from directly naming any political entity, his comments elicited diverse reactions from both the TMC and other political quarters.
Here are the updates from the Yatra today:
- 8.15 PM
Rahul Gandhi calls on the Bengal and Bengalis to spearhead the battle against prevailing injustices in the nation. His statement comes amid differences in the opposition bloc INDIA over seat sharing with TMC in Bengal for Lok sabha polls. TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has already announced that her party would contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections independently in the state. Read More... - 7.40 PM
"Earlier, the youth of the country used to wake up in the morning and work hard, become fit and join the army. There our youth were given a guarantee that we will protect you and your family. But now Modi government has brought 'Agniveer', in which youth will get jobs only for 4 years. Agniveer will not get the facilities and financial security that army personnel get. Before the Agniveer Yojana, it was said that 1.5 lakh youth would be recruited into the Army. But after 3 years, those youth are neither being recruited in the Army nor in Agniveer. This is injustice," says Rahul Gandhi. - 6.05 PM
"We have added the word 'justice' in the journey, because the reason for hatred in India is injustice. This is because all the wealth of the country is going into the hands of a few selected industrialists. But we want an India where even the poor of the country can dream big and fulfill them. An India where those who work hard are respected," Rahul Gandhi at 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in Siliguri. - 5.45 PM
On BJP-JD(U) alliance, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge says, "This shows that it was all pre-planned. To break the INDIA alliance they (BJP-JD(U)) planned all this... He (Nitish Kumar) kept us in the dark, he kept Lalu Yadav in the dark..." - 4.10 PM
As Rahul Gandhi resumed his march from Jalpaiguri, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge while addressing the workers' convention in Dehradun, said since 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' started, BJP "made every effort to stop and scare it". "'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' was stopped in Assam, stones were thrown on vehicles, posters were torn. Rahul Gandhi ji had taken out 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, but such an incident did not happen anywhere, as has happened in BJP-ruled Assam...But we are not afraid," Kharge said. Read More - 3.20 PM
As Rahul Gandhi resumed his march from Jalpaiguri, his party Congress called Bharat Jodo Nyay yatra "a journey for the rights of farmers, labourers, women, Dalits-tribals and youth." "This is the journey of every Indian who has taken a pledge to eradicate injustice," the party said in a video post on X. - 3.12 PM
Rahul Gandhi resumes Padyatra from Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. Before resuming the march, he, on this X handle, urged people "to be a part of this historic movement by contributing to the #DonateForNyay campaign." - 2.20 PM
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh compared Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with a chameleon. Ramesh held a press conference at the Congress party office in Thanamore before Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra on Sunday. He said Nitish Kumar was the first to call meeting in Patna. Mamata and the Congress have only one goal to defeat the BJP. Jairam Ramesh said that talks are on between the Trinamool Congress and the Congress on seat adjustments. - 1.12 PM
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached Bagdogra airport at around 11:30 a.m. Thereafter, he has a plan to reach Jalpaiguri, from where the Yatra will resume.
