A tweet by CPI(M)’s official handle comparing the duration of Bharat Jodo Yathra between Uttar Pradesh and Kerala has sparked a debate.
Published Sep 14, 2022 | 5:04 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 14, 2022 | 7:10 PM
CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan. (Facebook)
The fact that the Bharat Jodo Yatra would pass through BJP-ruled states — especially Uttar Pradesh — for a shorter period than others had irked the Communist Part of India (Marxist).
A tweet from the CPI(M)’s official handle comparing the duration of the yatra in Uttar Pradesh and Kerala sparked a debate between the leaders of the Congress and the CPI(M).
After the initial criticism, the Left party has now softened its stand on the walkathon.
On Tuesday, 13 September, CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan clarified that his party was not in opposition to the yatra.
On Monday, 12 September, the CPI(M) tweeted a party poster in which it criticised the Congress and its senior Rahul Gandhi.
“Bharat Jodo or Seat Jodo?” said the poster tagline that contained a caricature of Rahul Gandhi. “18 days in Kerala 2 days in UP. Strange ways to fight BJP-RSS,” the poster read.
— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) September 12, 2022
Former MLA and the party’s state committee member M Swaraj, in a video posted by the CPI(M), branded the yatra a “container procession”.
“…It is said that the members of the procession are staying in container houses. Perhaps this would be the first time such a procession is happening in the country,” said the CPI(M) leader.
“Usually, containers are used to transport goods. We have also read news about containers being used for illegally transporting humans. But now they are being used for the Congress programme,” he chuckled.
“If anyone thinks this as an example of humble living, then they are wrong. These containers are equipped with five-star facilities and crores of rupees have been spent on it,” claimed Swaraj.
In the video, Swaraj also pointed to the fewer number of days of the yatra in UP compared to Kerala, and criticised a section of the press in the state for giving extensive coverage to Rahul Gandhi.
He said the Congress and the media should come to a consensus on against whom the Bharat Jodo Yatra was being held.
CPI(M) party chief MV Govindan told reporters: “The Congress has the right to criticise the CPI(M) or the LDF government, but if there is any criticism that is not true, we will respond to it. We are not opposing the Yatra.”
Asked about the allegations levelled by Swaraj, Govindan said: “I am now stating the stand of the party on this matter. I don’t want to comment on anything else.”
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, retweeting the CPI(M) post, asked the Left party to do its homework on how and why the yatra was designed the way it was.
The tweet termed it “silly criticism from a party that is the A team of BJP in the land of MunduModi [sic]”.
This effectively accused the CPI(M) of helping the BJP and taking a dig at Pinarayi Vijayan by calling him Modi in Mundu.
Do your homework better on how and why yatra was planned the way it is. And silly criticism from a party that is the A team of BJP in the land of MunduModi. https://t.co/xku8ROd9XZ
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 12, 2022
Rahul Mamkootathil, the Kerala state secretary of the Youth Congress, posted on Facebook a video of a television debate where he responded to the allegations levelled by the CPI(M).
Mamkootathill said: “When the Bharat Jodo Yatra was declared in the Chintan Shivir held in Udaipur, three marches were designed: first from the southern end to the northern end of India, second from the east end to the western end of India.”
He clarified that the third march would be held within states these walkathons could not cover.
“There will be a state-level padayatra to protect the Constitution, where national-level leaders — including Rahul Gandhi — will participate,” he added.
Mamkootathill also said that instead of criticising the Congress, Swaraj should make Sitaram Yechury and Pinarayi Vijayan do a padayatra in Gujarat.
