BJP has spoiled the atmosphere of the country: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused the BJP of spreading fear and hatred in the country, even as he asserted that India stood for "brotherhood, unity and respect" and that is why his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' was "successful".

Gandhi was addressing people at Sirhind here before beginning Punjab leg of the Yatra.

“An atmosphere of hatred has been spread in the country. The BJP and RSS people are dividing the country, putting one religion against the other, one caste against the other, one language against the other… And they have spoiled the atmosphere of the country,” he alleged.

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Therefore, we thought that the country needs to show another path, which is of love, unity and brotherhood, this is why we started this Yatra, he said.

The Congress leader said the Yatra has received an overwhelming public response and it got better as it crossed from one state to the other.

“There is a reason for this -- the hatred, fear and violence being spread by the BJP people, it is not the country's way and not its history. This country is of brotherhood, unity and respect. And this is why, this Yatra is successful,” he said.

During the yatra, Gandhi said he learnt a lot as he spoke to farmers, small shopkeepers, labourers and unemployed youth.

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Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, Haryana Congress chief Bhupinder Singh Hooda, former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, among others, accompanied Gandhi in the Yatra.

The Gandhi scion earlier paid obeisance at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib before the start of the Punjab leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

He sported a turban and wore a half-sleeved T-shirt to the place of worship.