Lost my father to politics of hate, but will not lose country to it: Rahul Gandhi

Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a LTTE suicide bomber before he was to address an election rally in Sriperumbudur in 1991

Hours before launching the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday paid respects to his father, Rajiv Gandhi, at the latter’s memorial in Sriperumbudur near here and vowed that he will not “lose my beloved country” to “politics of hate division.”

Rahul Gandhi, who arrived here on Tuesday night, visited the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial in Sriperumbudur along with senior Congress leaders from the state. The former Congress President attended a prayer meeting organised at the memorial and paid respects to his father.

“I lost my father to the politics of hate and division. I will not lose my beloved country to it too. Love will conquer hate. Hope will defeat fear. Together, we will overcome,” he tweeted.

Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a LTTE suicide bomber before he was to address an election rally in Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991. Rahul's visit also came months after the Supreme Court released A G Perarivalan, one of the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

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The Bharat Jodo Yatra will travel through 12 states and 2 union territories. The yatra was launched by DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin from Kanyakumari on Wednesday.

Party spokesperson Shama Mohammed said, "The significance is that Gandhi, Vivekanand and Thairivuallvur stood for tolerance and this place is the southernmost tip of the country.

She attacked the BJP and said they are worried about this Yatra as they have done Yatras in Volvo buses but this yatra will connect people.

The Congress leader said that people will be told about inflation and communal polarisation.

(With agency inputs)