• Dr. Dhyan Singh Gothwal

One cannot proceed in present depending on legacy. Everyone has to struggle and fight and when there is a fight to save the heritage on one hand and the existence in the present on the other, then it becomes indispensable to proceed with great courage, truth and honesty.

If we look at the Indian political scene, we discover that in India before independence, the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi and after independence, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Chandrashekhar, LK Advani, Mamta Banerjee, Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy etc. have been instrumental in taking out ‘Padyatras’ (that have a history of their own) from time-to-time for connecting directly with the people of the country, for taking their message to the common man, for bridging the distance between the Ruler and the Ruled, for strengthening the democracy.

Today, Congress leader Shri Rahul Gandhi has been taking out about 3,600 kms long ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. A lot of people are being apprehensive of the same and are asking questions in this context - that India became independent in 1947, so what is the purpose of Shri Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ in 2022? What message does Shri Rahul Gandhi want to convey through this ‘Yatra? Since Congress party is the oldest party in the country which played an important role in liberating India, therefore, it becomes paramount for the general public to understand all of this. After independence, the country where not even a needle was manufactured, has become the third largest economy in the world. The Congress propelled India onto the path of progress in all fields by making Indian democracy and all constitutional institutions strong, expanding industries through education, health, information technology, knowledge, science, agriculture, economic liberalization and what not!

In 2011-12, a conspiracy was hatched by Anna Hazare against the Congress by running a corruption-free movement who enjoyed the support from the BJP and RSS from behind the scenes in this conspiracy. All those who were involved in this conspiracy are occupying all the big posts today and are reaping the fruits of the power. One such person is the Comptroller and Auditor General, Government of India Vinod Rai, who has been given the Padma Vibhushan and the responsibility of BCCI as a reward. He accused the Congress of a serious scam of such a huge amount in the 2G spectrum and coal scam by creating a delusion of fictitious figures that the general public thought that the Congress was a corrupt party. Ironically enough, the Bhartiya Janata Party has not been able to prove the allegations of corruption against the Congress even after being in power for 8 years today.

In 2014, the Congress was thrown out of power after being in power for a number of years - all due to change in thinking of the new generation with time, due to corruption-free movement by Anna Hazare and due to concocted allegations against the Congress party in the case of 2G spectrum and coal scam breeding hatred against the Party.

In 2014, the new government of the Bhartiya Janata Party, along with making hollow promises and showing pipe dreams of opening ‘Jan-Dhan Accounts’ for all and putting Rs. 15 lakhs in everyone’s account, of creating 2 crore jobs annually, of bringing back all the black money, of ‘Make in India’, demonetisation and GST etc. and by influencing social media and all the big media houses, tried to inculcate in the mind of the entire country and the young generation that Congress did nothing in 70 years. On the other hand, a campaign was launched to free India of the opposition and especially of the Congress by misusing all the constitutional institutions. To achieve this, the governments were even toppled by horse-trading. At the same time, to project the Congress leader Shri Rahul Gandhi as a weak leader, his image was tarnished by making various memes and mockery through their (BJP’s) IT cell and social media.

Consistently losing elections, opposition from party leaders and workers and party leaders leaving the party accusing Shri Rahul Gandhi, was weakening the Congress. On the other hand, BJP and RSS were leaving no stone unturned to wipe out Congress. Under such circumstances, the responsibility of reviving the Congress and restoring the confidence of the party workers and the public has befallen his shoulders. Confronting him today is a national party like BJP, which enjoys both the money power and the authoritative power, a party with organization like RSS, mastering the art of silencing all by misusing all the constitutional institutions.

In such dire circumstances, Shri Rahul Gandhi understood well that one cannot proceed in present depending on legacy. Everyone has to struggle and fight and when there is a fight to save the heritage on one hand and the existence in the present on the other, then it becomes indispensable to proceed with great courage, truth and honesty.

Today, the purpose of Shri Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ is not so much to revive the Congress as it is to save the country and the Constitution. The economic disparity in the country is at its peak today due to unemployment, inflation and GST. By polarizing religion, sect, caste, language and food in the electoral scenario, an atmosphere of hatred is being created in the hearts and minds of the common masses. At the same time, in order to hijack all the constitutional institutions, political centralization is being done, like a completely autocratic monarchy, which functions like democracy but only superficially. By showing the fear of ED, Income Tax, CBI to the opposition parties, a conspiracy is being hatched to eliminate them completely so that only one party can rule the whole country. Thousands of people are being imprisoned for speaking against the government without committing an actual crime, which is weakening the democracy as a whole.

In such a situation, the public support and people’s admiration that Shri Rahul Gandhi is getting in his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ shows that the hearts of the people, their love and trust can be won by going among the people. Love, tolerance and brotherhood can be established in the country by this ‘Padyatra’ and it is the true and sincere effort of Shri Rahul Gandhi which will strengthen the constitution and democracy in the country and revitalize the Congress as well as will rule the hearts of the general public in the coming times.

(The author is Deputy Editor of Biyani Times, State Co-ordinator of Rajiv Gandhi Study Circle, Rajasthan and Senate Member of Rajasthan University)