Former Minister & ex-Leader of Opposition in Telangana Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir claimed that the Bharat Jodo Yatra of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was a huge success in Telangana State and its impact would be ever-lasting.
Shabbir Ali, who headed the Food Committee of TPCC for Bharat Jodo Yatra in Telangana, said it was no less than a miracle that thousands of people, including the dedicated Bharat Yatris, assembled at a designated point twice in a day and walked about 25 kms each day without any obstacle or hurdle. He said that the Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Telangana State on 23rd October and the Yatra was resumed on 27th October. It covered 19 Assembly segments and 7 parliamentary constituencies spread across 375 km in Telangana. The Yatra covered Hyderabad on the 1st and 2nd of November. All the arrangements were magnificent and the public response was tremendous, he said.
“The last 15 days were among the best in our lives. It was an honour and privilege to be a part of this historic yatra led by Rahul Gandhi,” he said, adding that since the Congress leader carried the message of unity and peace, the Bharat Jodo Yatra carried a different kind of divine support.
Shabbir Ali said crowd management, especially in political rallies, becomes a major challenge. However, thousands of people, led by Rahul Gandhi, are walking peacefully by raising the slogans of uniting India without a single glitch. He said Rahul Gandhi was successful in conveying the message that the nation was under the threat from the divisive forces and they must be defeated by ensuring unity among all people. Further, he said that the Bharat Jodo Yatra has exposed the unholy nexus between TRS and BJP in Telangana and how both parties are trying to divide people to continue their rule.
” TPCC President Revanth Reddy had constituted 16 committees for the Bharat Jodo Yatra with each handling a specific responsibility. All the leaders, irrespective of their seniority and experience, worked together as a team. This Yatra has also sent a strong message to the people that the Congress party in Telangana was not a divided house, but a strong team which could accomplish anything it wanted,” he said.
Responding to the results of the Munugode by-elections, Shabbir Ali said the by-poll was imposed by the BJP and TRS with the sole intention of creating a fake impression among people before the Assembly elections that they were main rivals and Congress was finished in Telangana. However, they failed in their attempts as people realised that both parties lured them with huge cash, liquor and other sops and none spoke about the problems. Congress party, from the first day of the campaign, maintained that it will not spend money to get votes. Consequently, we lost the by-elections, but the Congress party registered a moral victory. TRS and BJP failed to demoralise the Congress cadre as the Bharat Jodo Yatra got tremendous public support and it rejuvenated all leaders and the entire cadre across Telangana State.
Shabbir Ali informed that the Bharat Jodo Yatra has created a powerful bonding among Congress leaders and workers. On each day of Yatra, all leaders and workers had different tasks and different challenges. But all of us, as a team, handled those tasks efficiently. Of course, there were many moments of tension, anxiety and tiredness. But they used to transform into a smile after watching the tremendous public response to Bharat Jodo Yatra,”
He said even Rahul Gandhi had some nostalgic moments when he hoisted the national flag at historic Charminar. He recalled his memories of his father late Rajiv Gandhi Ji who also visited Charminar 32 years ago for Sadbhavana Yatra. “The response to Yatra from Charminar to Necklace Road has sent a clear message that people were against communal politics and they want to reject all divisive forces RSS and BJP. By joining the Bharat Jodo Yatra, people endorsed Rahul Gandhi’s stand that there should be no division among people on the basis of religion, caste, region, gender or language,” he said.
The Congress leader said that Rahul Gandhi has brought so much positive energy that even senior Congress leaders almost forgot about their physical and age-related limitations and walked over 20 km every day. “Rahul Gandhi, through Bharat Jodo Yatra, had ignited a fire among all Congress workers which would lead us to victory in the next Assembly elections in Telangana,” he said.
