Rahul Gandhi took out 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' to unite nation: Himachal CM

New Delhi [India], January 22 (ANI): Reacting to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's remarks against Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra', Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday said Rahul Gandhi had set out for the march to unite the nation.
"What Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on the Bharat Jodo yatra is his personal opinion but Rahul Gandhi doing the yatra to unite the nation. He is walking 3,500 km," the Himachal CM said.
Sukhu, who is on a visit to the national capital, informed that he had sought an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for courtesy visit.
"We have sought time to meet President Murmu and PM Modi. Last time I could not meet them because I had tested Covid positive. This will be my first meeting with both of them after taking oath as Himachal CM," he said.
Slamming Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had accused the ruling BJP government of hate-mongering in the country, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said the Wayanad MP should not play with India's pride and prestige.
Singh was in Madhya Pradesh's Singrauli on Sunday where he laid the foundation stones of several development projects. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan was also present at the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, Singh said, "I ask Rahul Gandhi who is holding Bharat Jodo Yatra in the country and saying there is hatred in the country that 'who is giving birth to hatred in the country?' India is being defamed by saying there is hatred in the country. What has happened to you Rahul ji? Rahul Gandhi should not play with the honour, pride and prestige of the country."
"Those on 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' want to unite India, but I want to ask if India is breaking? The nation already broke once in 1947...Rahul Gandhi is roaming and saying that there is hatred in India...Congress people are insulting the country in the world," added the Defence minister.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi resumed from Jammu and Kashmir's Hiranagar amid tight security on Sunday.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that people have come to know that Bharat Jodo Yatra is an effort to unite India.
"Today is the 128th day of the Bharat Jodo yatra. Today, Rahul Gandhi met around 30-35 lawyers of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. In some places, people were stopped from coming on the road and the police were stopping them. Many people wanted to welcome Bharat Jodo Yatra but they were stopped. Although, people have welcomed the Yatra in Kashmir and we are hopeful that in Jammu to people will welcome us," Ramesh said.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, will end at Srinagar on January 30, with Rahul hoisting the Tricolour there.
The march has so far covered Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and is presently in Jammu and Kashmir.
It is the longest march on foot by any Indian politician in the history of India, the Congress claimed earlier in a statement.
Bharat Jodo Yatra has been receiving support from various political parties and social organizations across the country.
Notably, all the party MPs, leaders and workers, along with Rahul Gandhi, are living in containers. Sleeping beds, toilets and ACs have been installed in some of the containers.
The arrangements have been made keeping in view the intense heat and humidity, with the change of places.
The Congress suffered a debacle in the assembly polls held earlier this year and the Yatra is seen as an attempt to encourage the party rank and file for the upcoming electoral battles. (ANI)