The ideologies of the RSS and the BJP are spreading violence and hatred in the country, charged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered politically crucial state of Bihar on Monday.
Gandhi accused the ruling party and its ideological mentor of instigating people to fight among themselves in the name of religion, caste and language.
"Brothers are fighting among themselves. This is the atmosphere they (RSS and BJP) have created in the country. We work to unite the people and want to open a 'Mohabbat Ki Dukan' in 'Nafrat Ka Bazaar'," he said, addressing a public rally in Kishanganj.
The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra reached Bihar a day after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar swapped alliance and joined hands with the BJP on Sunday in a huge setback to the opposition INDIA bloc ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Interestingly, Gandhi chose to remain silent on the political developments in the state and focused his speech on attacking the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said under the leadership of Modi, India’s economy has been handed over to a few billionaires. “Airports, ports, infrastructure, hospitals, and universities... everything is being handed over to two to three industrialists,” he said, reported The Hidnu.
He termed Bihar as the land of social justice and also demanded a caste-based census across the country.
Earlier, State congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh and other senior party leaders welcomed Gandhi in Kishanganj. The Nyay Yatra later entered Araria district in the evening.
"After offering puja at a local temple, Rahul ji will spend the night in Araria. He will resume his yatra on Tuesday morning and will enter Purnea district. Rahul ji will address a mammoth rally at Rangbhumi Ground in Purnea around 2 pm," Akhilesh Prasad Singh told reporters.
The yatra is scheduled to travel 6,713 km over 67 days, traversing 110 districts across 15 states before culminating in Mumbai on March 20 or 21.
