Bharat Jodo Yatra: Cong protests with cutouts of gas cylinders in Kerala

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked BJP and RSS over rising fuel and cooking gas prices in the country, as the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra' concluded at Cheruthuruthy here in Kerala.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday attacked the BJP and the RSS over rising fuel and cooking gas prices in the country, as the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra' completed its journey through this district and concluded at Cheruthuruthy here in Kerala.

Gandhi addressed a crowd of party workers after covering around 11.5 kms.

He said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were attacking the idea of Kerala.

"What is the idea of Kerala? The people. While I am walking on these streets, people are flowing like a river on both sides. There is no Hindu, Muslim or Sikh person. They are all the same. Not a single person is disrespecting another.

If a Hindu woman falls down, a Muslim or Christian brother helps her up. If a Muslim child falls down, a Hindu or Christian picks him up. This is the idea of Kerala," he said.

The former Congress chief said the idea of Kerala was taught by social reformer Sree Narayana Guru.

"However, the RSS comes here, talks about Guruji, but later they insult and attack his ideas. In this land, everyone is treated equally. This was an idea taught by great leaders like Narayana Guru. And the RSS attacks Kerala because they work for a few people who want to own India," he said.

Continuing his attack on the saffron brigade, Gandhi noted that there is no point in saluting the Indian flag if one is disrespecting the country's brothers and women.

"There is no point in saluting the Indian flag and then attacking my brother... What is the point of saluting the Indian flag and then insulting a woman?

Look at what happened in Uttarakhand... a girl in Uttar Pradesh was raped and killed by a BJP leader. Have they taken any action? We went to visit the family, but they did not let us. What is the point of saluting the Indian flag if you have no respect for the Indian people?" he asked.

Earlier in the day, the Gandhi family scion met ex-service men and discussed the issues faced by them. They expressed their concerns over the new Agnipath scheme introduced by the Centre.

The Congress resumed its Yatra from Wadakkanchery Sunday evening. Hundreds of party workers raised banners and placards, citing high gas prices.

The morning session of the 150-day-long Yatra covered a distance of around 11 kilometres before concluding at Wadakkanchery.

Senior Congress leaders, including K Muraleedharan, K C Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan and MPs from the district, among others, joined Gandhi in the Yatra.

The Congress workers were carrying placards in the shape of LPG cylinders, highlighting the steep cooking gas prices in the country.

After concluding the morning session of the foot march at Wadakkanchery, Gandhi took a chopper to Nilambur and paid his respects at the residence of late Congress leader Aryadan Mohammed.

Senior Congress leader and former state minister Mohammed died at a private hospital in Kozhikode on Sunday. He was 87.

Gandhi said Mohammed was a pillar of the Congress and his demise was a great loss for the party.

"He was a pillar for the Congress, a grassroots party worker and an excellent politician and even a better human being. It is a huge loss and a tragedy for us. For me, he was a guide and an elder brother. It is a personal loss," Gandhi told the media.

On Saturday, Gandhi had launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the rise in fuel and cooking gas prices in the country, and charged that the BJP and the RSS were spreading hate and violence to distract the people from such main issues.

"A gas cylinder used to cost Rs 400 when the UPA government was in power. The prime minister went on complaining about the same. But today, he does not say a word about the Rs 1,000 price of gas cylinders," the Congress leader had said while addressing a massive crowd at Thrissur.

The Congress on Sunday asked the people to join it in its "historic movement as we march on to rebuild an India" that is strong and self-reliant among the leaders of the world.

Women and children could be seen breaking the security cordon to meet Gandhi. The Congress leader was seen talking to them, clicking pictures and waving at the people who were waiting for him on both sides of the road.

The Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra will cover 3,570 km in 150 days. It started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 and will conclude in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Yatra, which entered Kerala on the evening of September 10, will go through the state covering 450 km, touching seven districts in 19 days before entering Karnataka on October 1.