In the aftermath of Nitish Kumar's departure from the RJD-led 'Mahagathbandhan' government in Bihar and his return to the old ally NDA, Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' entered the state on Monday through Kishanganj. Addressing a public gathering upon his arrival, Gandhi criticized the RSS-BJP ideology, asserting that it aims to spread hatred.
The political landscape in Bihar witnessed a significant upheaval as Nitish Kumar, who had earlier severed ties with the NDA in 2022, made a surprising move by resigning as the chief minister and rejoining the NDA on Sunday.
Rahul Gandhi stated that the RSS-BJP ideology revolves around spreading hatred, and in response, the Congress party has metaphorically opened a "shop of love" in a market dominated by animosity. He conveyed, "Many people asked me what is the purpose of this yatra. So we told them that the ideology of RSS-BJP has spread hatred. One religion is fighting with another religion... That's why we opened a shop of love in the market of hatred... This yatra had a significant impact on the politics of the country. We have given a new vision, ideology and that is Mohabbat," as quoted by ANI.
Rahul Gandhi is slated to address another public gathering in Purnea district on Tuesday and a subsequent rally in Katihar, as per reports. The Congress leader accused the BJP of promoting an ideology of hatred and violence, contrasting it with the Congress' commitment to promoting love. He expressed, "BJP has presented the ideology of hatred and violence before the country, against that we have brought the ideology of love. Hate cannot destroy hatred, hatred can only be destroyed by love. On one hand, people of BJP-RSS talk about dividing the country through hatred, while on the other hand, we talk about love."
The 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' commenced its journey from Manipur on January 14, making its way through West Bengal before arriving in Bihar's Kishanganj on Monday. Notably, this marks Rahul Gandhi's first visit to Bihar following the 2020 Assembly elections.