Bharat Jodo Yatra in Karnataka: When Rahul Gandhi didn’t need translation to understand Kannada

The Bharat Jodo Yatra that began in Kanniyakumari has completed a month, traversing three states and covering over 700 km on foot.

ByAnusha Ravi Sood

Published Oct 09, 2022 | 12:52 AMUpdatedOct 12, 2022 | 7:24 PM

Bharat Jodo Yatra at Turuvekere in Tumakuru in Karnataka on Saturday. (Supplied)

Call it the impact of walking across Karnataka and interacting with Kannadigas or sensing rumblings within his party’s state unit, Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, 8 October, needed no translation during the Bharat Jodo Yatra to understand a question posed to him in Kannada. It wasn’t that the AICC leader picked up a new language; it was simply the topic of the question.

“I understood that. You spoke in Kannada but I got it,” a smiling Rahul Gandhi told a reporter who asked him a question in Kannada even as he stopped Jairam Ramesh from translating the question for him.

The question was who the Congress’ chief ministerial pick would be if the party came to power in the next Assembly election in Karnataka.

This very question has split the Congress in Karnataka three ways, months ahead of the Assembly elections.

With two primary contenders — KPCC president DK Shivakumar and CLP chief Siddaramaiah — sitting on either side, Rahul Gandhi went to assert that due process would be followed.

“We have a formidable team in Karnataka, with leaders who are complementary to one another. Once we win the election, due process will be followed to elect the chief minister,” the former AICC president said.

“We aren’t a fascist party. We believe in conversation and discussion, but everyone in the party understands that they have to work unitedly to win elections,” he added.

Federalism as nature of Indian union

Responding to a question by South First on strengthening federal structures and regional aspirations, Rahul Gandhi said federalism was the very nature of the Indian Union.

“I don’t just think it (federalism) is a political counter to the BJP, but it is the very nature of the Indian union. If you recall my speech in Parliament, I quoted the Constitution which states that India is a union of states. That means all our languages, states and traditions have equally important spaces in the union. I don’t view it as a political counter but as the nature of our country,” he said.

The Congress prioritised the Kannada media over English and Hindi on Saturday, a decision that was deliberate, according to the chief of the Congress’ communication cell, Jairam Ramesh.

In an interaction with Karnataka public education stakeholders on Friday, language rights and the impact of the imposition of other languages were discussed with the Congress leaders.

“The National Education Policy (NEP) is an attack on the ethos of our country. It distorts our history and culture. We oppose it because it concentrates powers in the hands of a few people and centralises the education system. We want a decentralised system,” Gandhi said on Saturday.

‘Tremendous wisdom, tremendous suffering’

At a press conference he addressed at Turuvekere as part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi said his key takeaway from the yatra — which has completed a month traversing three states: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka — covering over 700 km on foot was getting closer to the people.

“Through this yatra what is becoming crystal clear to me are two facts. Firstly, there is tremendous wisdom in our people that is wasted by the type of politics and type of system we are running. Secondly, there is also tremendous suffering among our people. They are unable to, because of our existing political system, do what they need to do to become successful,” he said.

Rahul Gandhi added that the yatra was penance for him. “I chose to walk to introduce an element of suffering into this outreach exercise. That suffering allows me to understand the suffering of others,” he said.

Rahul Gandhi addressing a Bharat Jodo Yatra gathering amid heavy downpour in Mysuru on Sunday. (Supplied)

Rahul Gandhi addressing a Bharat Jodo Yatra gathering amid heavy downpour in Mysuru on Sunday. (Supplied)

Throughout the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Congress has carefully invested efforts in highlighting impromptu moments, heartwarming meet and greets, and out-of-the-box interactions of people from various walks of life with Rahul Gandhi in an attempt to show him in a different, steering him away from the image of a part-time, lazy or even elitist politician, which has been propagated by political rivals.

The former AICC president said that the yatra and his interactions with people were more real than what is shown about him in the media.

“Thousands of crores of media money and energy have been spent in trying to shape me in a way which is just untruthful and wrong. My truth is different. People who care to look carefully will see what I stand for and what my truth is,” he said.

Rahul rakes up China border issue

While reiterating that the fight against unemployment, price rise, and the spread of hatred and violence were the three primary purposes of his yatra, Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of singlehandedly destroying India’s negotiating powers with China over the border conflict.

“The Chinese army is sitting inside Indian territory, and has occupied more than 1000 sq km. The Central government refuses to do anything about it, and is scared of a discussion in Parliament. Worse, the prime minister says no land has been taken,” said Gandhi.

“If you are a Chinese person negotiating with Indians and the Indian prime minister says no land has been taken, what message does that convey? That whatever land China has occupied belongs to it. With his single statement, the prime minister has destroyed India’s negotiation position,” he added.

Meanwhile, even as Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot welcoming Gautam Adani to invest in the state made hit the headlines, given Rahul Gandhi’s repeated allegations of crony capitalism, the Gandhi scion had a different take.

“Adani has committed investments of ₹60,000 in Rajasthan, and no chief minister will refuse [such an investment]. My contention is over the use of political powers to help certain chosen businesses to flourish at the cost of others. My opposition is to two to four large businesses being helped to monopolise everything. I am in no way opposed to corporates or businesses but I am against the complete monopolisation of Indian business because that weakens the country,” he said.

“What the BJP is doing is complete monopolisation of Indian businesses by helping a few businessmen. The Rajasthan government has not used political power to help Adani, but has followed due process. If it bends rules and uses political power to help them, I will oppose that as well,” he added.