At Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi invokes Guru Nanak, says Ludhiana has potential to compete with China but Centre failed it

Accusing Prime Minister Modi of destroying small and medium businesses in the industrial and manufacturing hub Ludhiana with demonetisation and “wrong” GST policies, Gandhi said that Ludhiana had the potential to compete with China but the central government had “failed to support and help the businessmen here”.

He reached Samrala Chowk while walking via Khanna, Sahnewal and Doraha along with state Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu.

“I started a yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir to fight hatred, fear and violence being spread in the country. A brother is being made to fight against his brother, different castes and communities are being made to fight against each other. I started this yatra to stand against this hatred and walk a different route… mohabbat ka raasta,” said Gandhi, from the stage.

“Nafrat ke bazaar mein mohabbat ki dukaan hun khol rahe hain (We are opening a shop selling love in this market of hatred),” he said.

“You will not find any hatred in this yatra. No one on this yatra asks what is your caste or your religion. This is the history, the culture of Hindustan, of Punjab. Guru Nanak has shown this path not just to the country but to the world. There is no place for hatred and violence in Punjab and in this country,” he said. “[But] the government in Delhi spreads fear.”

Asserting that the Modi government’s wrong policies had harmed Ludhiana’s small and medium businesses and industry, he said, “Someone told me today that Ludhiana is like Manchester. I felt he said it wrong. Manchester is like Ludhiana, not vice versa. Manchester has no future but Ludhiana has a bright future, but it has been harmed. Who harmed it and how? The PM of this country did notebandi and implemented wrong GST policies. This government in Delhi works for selected 2-3 industrialists of this country, not small businessmen,” he said.

“The support which small and medium businesses need, they never get. Demonetisation and wrong GST policies are the weapons to destroy small and medium businesses. Billionaires of this country cannot employ people, only an industrial city like Ludhiana can generate employment. If they are strengthened, Ludhiana can compete with China, but no one helps you because there is no vision,” he said, adding that neither the Punjab nor the Union government had tried to help the businesses of Ludhiana.

Also present with him on the stage were former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, MPs Amar Singh and Mohammad Sadique, Ludhiana district Congress president Sanjay Talwar and councillor Mamta Ashu, wife of former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, who is in jail in a corruption case.

Incidentally, Leader of Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Partap Singh Bajwa, failed to reach the rally venue. Bajwa, though part of the yatra when it began from Khanna, was nowhere to be found on stage when Harish Chaudhary called his name to begin the address.

Sanjay Talwar said that Bajwa was walking with them but was left behind in the huge rush of people and security arrangements at Samrala, one of the busiest points in the city and a hub of migrant population.

Bittu said that Bajwa walked with them majority part of the yatra. “Due to age he couldn’t walk the entire distance till Samrala Chowk. From Saturday, we will be requesting him not to walk at all if he doesn’t feel well,” he said.

Meanwhile, Warring said that Thursday’s yatra was unique as they walked 22 kms in one go. “There was a huge rush of people to meet Rahul Gandhi,” said Warring.

The yatra concluded for the day at Samrala Chowk, and will take a break till Friday in view of the Lohri festival. The yatra will again resume on January 14 from Ladhowal towards Jalandhar. Warring said that Gandhi has left for Delhi for a day and will return by Friday evening to resume yatra on Saturday morning.