Ideologies of RSS, BJP spreading violence, hatred: Rahul in Bihar

KISHANGANJ/ARARIA: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged that the ideologies of the RSS and the BJP are spreading violence and hatred in the country.

Addressing a public rally in Kishanganj as part of his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’, he claimed that people belonging to different religions and castes are fighting among themselves under the BJP-led NDA rule at the Centre.

Gandhi’s tour to the state came a day after the Congress was left high and dry with former ally Nitish Kumar, the Bihar chief minister, making a return to the BJP-led NDA.

“The ideologies of the RSS and the BJP are spreading violence and hatred in the country. They (RSS and BJP) instigate people to fight among themselves in the name of religion, caste and language.

“Brothers are fighting among themselves. This is the atmosphere they (RSS and BJP) have created in the country. We work to unite the people and want to open a ‘Mohabbat Ki Dukan’ in ‘Nafrat Ka Bazaar’,” the Congress MP said.

The Congress’ ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ led by Gandhi entered Bihar through Kishanganj, the party’s stronghold, this morning. Later, in the evening Gandhi’s yatra entered Araria district.

“After offering puja at a local temple, Rahul ji will spend the night in Araria. He will resume his yatra on Tuesday morning and will enter Purnea district. Rahul ji will address a mammoth rally at Rangbhumi Ground in Purnea around 2 pm,” Congress state president Akhilesh Prasad Singh told reporters in Kishanganj. According to party insiders, Gandhi’s yatra will enter Katihar district on Tuesday evening.

Earlier in the day, Singh and other senior party leaders welcomed him in Kishanganj, a district in the Seemanchal region where Muslims are in majority.

During the padayatra, Congress supporters were seen hailing Gandhi and holding the national flags and those of the party.

This is Gandhi’s first visit to Bihar since the Assembly poll campaign of 2020.

He will be leaving for West Bengal on Thursday via Araria district and will return to Bihar a few days later via Jharkhand, said state Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh.

According to leaders of the state Congress, the party’s alliance partners in Bihar like RJD president Lalu Prasad and CPI(ML)-L general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya have been invited to the rally at Purnea.