Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Yatra is creating tremors in India: M K Stalin

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s speeches at the nation-wide Bharat Jodo Yatra are “creating tremors” in India as they are related to the “ideology” that he follows, and not about elections or party politics, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief M K Stalin said.

He also said speeches by Nehru’s heir (Rahul Gandhi) will obviously irk the “heirs of (Nathuram) Godse”, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, father of the nation, and there was nothing new, in an indirect attack on the criticism of the Congress leader’s yatra by BJP.

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Speaking after releasing a book on Jawaharlal Nehru penned by Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) vice-president A Gopanna here on Sunday night, Stalin almost held a mirror to the BJP-led Union Government on how to handle issues like language, and religious harmony by praising Nehru to the hilt and recalling his contributions to developing the country.

Nehru, Stalin said, stepped on Tamil Nadu’s soil only 11 times in his lifetime, but was responsible for setting up several public sector undertaking (PSUs) in the state like Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC), Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and institutes like the IIT-Madras.

“Nehru ensured holistic development of all regions of the country by introducing five-year plans. He saw India as one country that is united. We will understand Nehru only when we compare him with current politics. An AIIMS was announced for Tamil Nadu in 2015 in Parliament (by BJP) but nothing has moved so far,” Stalin said.

Nehru’s pride increases as “we see Hindi being imposed through every possible short-cuts” today and when hate is propagated at every given opportunity. “Above all, we are able to understand Nehru who let the opposition parties speak their mind better now as discussions on issues are not allowed in today’s Parliament,” he said.

Like Tamil Nadu needs E V R Periyar, C N Annadurai and M Karunanidhi even today, Stalin said, India needs Gandhi and Nehru to uphold federalism, state autonomy, secularism, equality, and social justice. He also said Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo yatra is aimed at achieving the above mentioned goals.

“I got the opportunity to launch the yatra in Kanyakumari and I feel happy about it. Rahul Gandhi’s speeches are creating tremors in the country. He is not speaking about electoral or party politics, he is speaking about his ideology. That is why he is being criticized severely by some today. Sometimes, Rahul’s speeches resemble that of Nehru,” Stalin added.

“The heirs of Godse will only feel bitter when they hear speeches from heirs of Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru. But time will always keep reminding us about Gandhi and Nehru,” the chief minister said.