Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' on January 29 entered Bihar through Kishanganj, a district with a heavy Muslim population which is also a party stronghold.
Gandhi's Bihar tour comes a day after the Congress was left high and dry with former ally Nitish Kumar, the Bihar chief minister, making a return to the BJP-led NDA.
Addressing a public rally here as part of his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra', he said people belonging to different religions and castes are fighting during the BJP-led NDA rule at the Centre.
"The ideologies of the RSS and the BJP are spreading violence and hatred in the country. We want to open 'Mohabbat Ki Dukan' in 'Nafrat Ka Bazaar' ", he said.
Also read: Nitish Kumar, the man of many U-turns: Here's a timeline of his changing political alliances
The Congress MP claimed his party had given a new vision and ideology. "Many people asked me what the purpose of this yatra was. 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..." news agency ANI quoted Gandhi as saying.
This is Gandhi's first visit to Bihar since the assembly poll campaign of 2020.
Gandhi is scheduled to address a public meeting in Kishanganj, followed by a big rally in the adjoining district of Purnea on Tuesday and another one in Katihar a day later, according to Congress legislature party leader Shakil Ahmed Khan.
He will be leaving for West Bengal on February 1 via Araria district and will return to Bihar a few days later via Jharkhand, said state Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh.
According to leaders of the state Congress, the party's alliance partners in Bihar like RJD president Lalu Prasad and CPI(ML)-L general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya have been invited to the rally at Purnea.
Nitish Kumar, the JD(U) president with whom the Congress had shared power till he did a volte face, was also extended an invitation which had been accepted by the veteran leader.
The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the second version of Bharat Jodo Yatra, will culminate in Mumbai on March 20. The first Bharat Jodo Yatra was held from Kanyakumari to Kashmir in 2022-23.
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