Mysuru: Hundreds of people raised pro-Congress slogans as party leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday addressed them amid heavy rains and asserted that nothing can "stop us to unite the country" through the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra. Soon after Gandhi arrived at the venue for the public meeting on the outskirts of Mysuru, a sudden burst of rain greeted him and the gathering.
As the Wayanad MP chose to continue his speech, the crowds cheered for him, even as many were seen holding up chairs to ward off the torrential rain.
"This journey will continue from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and will not stop. It is raining, but the showers have not stopped this yatra. Heat, storm, cold can't stop this yatra.
"This river-like journey will persist and in this river, you will not find any trace of hate or violence. There will only be love and brotherhood as this is India's history and DNA," Gandhi told the gathering.
भारत को एकजुट करने से,
हमें कोई नहीं रोक सकता।भारत की आवाज़ उठाने से,
हमें कोई नहीं रोक सकता।कन्याकुमारी से कश्मीर तक जाएगी, भारत जोड़ो यात्रा को कोई नहीं रोक सकता। pic.twitter.com/sj80bLsHbF
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 2, 2022
Moments after the Mysuru rally, Congress leaders took to Twitter to laud Rahul Gandhi's rain-soaked moment as a sign of his resilience.
Twitteratti drew parallels between Gandhi's address and a similar speech NCP supremo Sharad Pawar delivered amid incessant rains during the Maharashtra elections in 2019.
Earlier on Sunday, Gandhi walked for over 10 kilometres from Badanavalu to Mysuru and was welcomed by a beeline of bystanders on both sides of the road. The police were seen struggling to manage the crowd and maintain order amid Congress supporters beating drums in their leader's welcome.
While roadsides were dotted with young people eager to catch a glimpse of the Congress leader, women were seen on the terrace of their houses to watch Gandhi.
At the venue of the public meeting in Mysuru later, the Congress leader said nothing can deter the Bharat Jodo Yatra which was aimed at "stopping hatred and violence spread by the BJP-RSS".
Accompanied by huge crowd of supporters, Shri @RahulGandhi & all the Padyatris to resume #BharatJodoYatra from Hardinge Circle, Mysuru. pic.twitter.com/6IJZEzbLg5
— Congress (@INCIndia) October 3, 2022
On a day the Enforcement Directorate issued summons to Karnataka Congress president DK Shiva Kumar for appearance on October 7 in the National Herald case, Gandhi told the Mysuru gathering, "No matter how much hate and violence the BJP spreads, this yatra will achieve its goal and will unite people."
The former Congress president also attacked the BJP government in Karnataka over graft charges, accusing Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai of crossing all limits of corruption.
"This 40 per cent (commission) government is taking bribes even from BJP people who are unable to pay up, and despite contractor association writing to the prime minister, no action has been taken," he said.
Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra
Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra is aimed at 'uniting India; to come together and strengthen our nation'.
The Yatra began on September 7 from Kanyakumari and will pass through 12 states, culminating in Jammu and Kashmir – spanning a distance of nearly 3,500 km over the course of about 150 days.
It has so far covered 624 kms in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and is currently in Karnataka.
