BJP ousted from power in states not readily permitting Rahul’s Yatra: Alka Lamba

Guwahati: Senior Congress leader Alka Lamba on Wednesday claimed that the BJP lost power in states where it dilly-dallied over permission to the Bharat Jodo Yatra, in which Rahul Gandhi and other party leaders marched from the south to the north of India.

The All India Mahila Congress president urged the BJP-led government in Assam not to create problems in providing the nod to the ongoing 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in the state, as part of the party's procession from the east to the west of the country.

Gandhi began the Yatra on January 14 in Manipur and the march is scheduled to enter Assam on Thursday.

"We request the Himanta Biswa Sarma government here to provide the required permissions for the Yatra. If we are granted timely permissions, we can prepare ourselves better… but no force can stop it from coming to Assam," Lamba said at a press conference here.

The Assam leg of the Yatra will consist of eight days and the party claimed that it is yet to receive all permissions from the state government.

"We know there is pressure on Sarma from the Centre. But we want to tell them that don’t be afraid of our Yatra. It is not one of hatred or to divide people like the BJP does. It is to spread love based on the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi," she added.

Asked if the party had faced similar problems with permission when the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ was taken out between September 2022 and January last year, Lamba claimed that the then-BJP governments in states like Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh had created issues and tried to prevent people from joining it.

"We have seen how the BJP was ousted from power in these states by the public in the elections held soon after,” she said.

The Congress came to power in Himachal Pradesh in the November 2022 assembly elections, and in Karnataka in May 2023.

On the Assam chief minister’s contention that he cancelled his engagements in upper Assam on dates coinciding with the Yatra’s itinerary, Lamba claimed: "He was not confident of people’s attendance at his meetings when Rahul ji will also be at the same place.

"It is hard to believe that providing security to his programmes as well as the Yatra could have been an issue, as the CM would like people to believe."

Asserting that the Yatra is a non-political one, she added, "Rahul ji won't be asking for votes anywhere. But naturally, there is enthusiasm among the people. People are waiting for Rahul ji as they don't have anyone else to hear them."

The people will defeat the BJP and its allies, and install the INDIA bloc at the Centre, she claimed.

Lamba expressed confidence that the Congress, which currently has three Lok Sabha members from Assam, will take its tally to double digits in the state which sends a total of 14 MPs to the Lower House of Parliament.

She attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting strife-torn Manipur where violence started in May 2023. Gandhi had gone to the state in June and talked to the affected people and the governor.

"I request Himanta Biswa Sarma to rise above politics and tell the PM to find time to visit Manipur at least once. North Eastern states are deeply attached to each other and this neglect of one sister state will not go down well with the others," Lamba said.