Owais Gul
Srinagar, Jan 30: Donning the Kashmiri traditional gown (pheran), Congress leader and Member Parliament (MP) Rahul Gandhi Monday said he deliberately wore a white T-shirt to give chance to his enemies to change its colour but he received endless love instead of grenades. He said the message Bharat Jodo Yatra(BJY) was to see the end of phone calls giving the message of deaths in the Valley.
Addressing a rally on the last day of BJY at SK Stadium, Sonwar, Srinagar, amid heavy snowfall, Rahul, said that much was talked about his T-Shirt. “I wore (white) T-Shirt to give chance to my enemies to change its colour, but instead I received lots of love and warm wishes instead of grenades,” Rahul thundered from the stage amid slogans from the participants: “Jodo, Jodo Bharat Jodo”
Rahul said he can well understand the pain and agony of Kashmiris. “Every Kashmiri I met during my Yatra had tears in his/her eyes. The main message of BJY is to see the end of phone calls giving messages of deaths. What would be the fate of the families including soldiers, CRPF men and Kashmiris when they get phone calls with messages of deaths/killings of their loved ones? Who else can understand that other than me? I have received phone calls about my father’s death and even my grandmother’s death and thus I could realize the pain of families of those killed in Pulwama,” he said as snowflakes filled the air.
Rahul dared Home Minister Amit Shah and other BJP leaders to conduct or hold Padyatra in the Valley like the one he did. “I am sure they can’t do it as they are afraid and have fear in their hearts,” he said and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of “instigating violence”.
Rahul said that Kashmiriyat was a thought and Kashmir was a home for him. “In fact, the thought Kashmiriyat presents is a home for me. For me, the home is not just four-walls but the thought Kashmiriyat gives and presents,” he said.
While speaking on the occasion, Rahul said that he has not carried out this yatra for himself or for the party, but for the people of the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Rahul’s sister, Priyanka Gandhi said that the main message of BJY was to spread love and call for the end of hatred by bringing the hearts together. “Finally, we have succeeded,” he said.
Former J&K chief ministers including Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti while speaking on the occasion said that they see a ray of hope in Rahul Gandhi.
Earlier in the day, Rahul unfurled the national flag at the yatra’s campsite at Cheshma Shahi in Srinagar. He later hoisted the national flag at PCC office here following which the main culmination event was held in which the former chief minister’s of J&K including Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti also participated.
