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Journalism of Courage
The penultimate day of the Karnataka leg of Bharat Jodo Yatra witnessed a massive show of strength by the Congress, as party supporters from four districts poured into Raichur Saturday.
Thousands of people from four districts of the Kalyana Karnataka region participated in the Yatra, with Congress working president Saleem Ahmed estimating the number of participants to have exceeded one lakh.
While there was a sizable number of supporters when the march started in the morning at Yeragera village, the numbers swelled by noon. Party workers and supporters from Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, and other surrounding districts were part of the march.
At the rally, Rahul Gandhi continued targeting the BJP state government over corruption charges and listed out alleged irregularities committed by the government. “Only scams are happening in Karnataka, not administration,” he said. Earlier in the day, KPCC (Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee) president DK Shivakumar told reporters that the Yatra gave a major boost to the party’s prospects, claiming that it would win 150 seats in the general assembly elections scheduled in 2023.
Among the highlights of the day was the participation of a group of Indian Army veterans in the first half. Former MP and actor Ramya also participated in the march, surprising many as she had stayed away from politics in the past few years.
During the break, interactions were held with representatives from minority communities, NREGA workers, and Devadasi women.
In the engagement with minority community representatives, several participants from the Muslim community spoke of the ‘psychosis of fear’ felt by the community in the past few years. Zafar, an architect and theatre artist, said that there was a need to ensure more minority representation in the state legislature and Parliament.
Father Simion spoke about how the current government had ‘prohibited’ foreign assistance to minority institutions such as schools, leading to a worrying decline in standards.
Rahul Gandhi assured the participants that the ‘divisiveness and hatred’ fostered by the BJP and the RSS combine would not last.
The Karnataka leg of the march will end Sunday (October 23) and the rally will enter Telangana. There will be a three-day break before the Yatra resumes. Rahul Gandhi is expected to travel to Delhi during the break and is scheduled to participate in an event in the national capital on October 26, where Mallikarjun Kharge will formally take charge as AICC (All India Congress Committee) president.
