NAGAMANGALA (MANDYA): Throwing away all netagiri, former AICC president Rahul Gandhi has hit the road with one concept: Talk less, listen more. During the course of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul is mixing with people, giving a patient hearing to those who want to talk about problems, and humbly requesting them to suggest solutions too.
During an interaction with this correspondent over a 3-km long walk, he reversed the question-answer session, seeking details on a variety of issues and challenges facing different segments of society, especially farmers. The Congress icon has been interacting with people to know their grievances, besides the region’s core social and political problems.
As the yatra passed through the sugar bowl of Mandya, Rahul Gandhi got some in-depth knowledge on the agrarian realities. When he sought to know why farmers had not taken up agriculture activities, they told him they were helpless as many who had grown horticulture crops like tomato, brinjal, beans and others crops, had suffered from a crash in prices. With their pockets empty, and little support from banks, they couldn’t invest in their farms again.
When told that farmers were happy with the loan waiver implemented by the Siddaramaiah government, a jovial Rahul said he was the force behind the waiver and other welfare programmes, but the people were not aware of it. He was curious to know about the family and agricultural background of this correspondent, besides agro economics.
Rahul said the BJP is making all attempts to weaken the Constitution and change it, and that he wanted to wake up the people and sensitise them to the dangers of this exercise. “People should now decide and play a role on how the Constitution needs to be protected,” he said.
He threw back questions on the success of the BJP and its religious politics, and Dalits looking to the saffron party for positions. He questioned why a section of educated Dalits was turning to the saffron party, when the BJP is trying to take away their rights.
Expressing huge respect for former President K Narayanan, he said, “I have met him, he is incomparable, and always ensured that he followed the Constitution.” Rahul, who was curious about social ills and evils prevailing in modern times, felt a social boycott has great impact on children, and that belief in the Constitution and mutual respect can bring about positive change.
Having been on the yatra for weeks now, Rahul said right from Kanyakumari, through Kerala and Karnataka, he has perceived a “large river of people flowing”, and there is only faith, no hatred or anger in this river. Quoting Basavanna, he said that the social reformer had taught people not to hate anybody, treat others as you would treat yourself and also listen to them.
“These are the lessons I have imbibed in this yatra, while the present-day ideology of the government has divided the country,” he said. “The DNA and essence of this country is that we should not hate anybody, and treat others equally.”
