Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants all people in the country should worship him, while the focus of the Congress is “tapasya”.
He said the Bharat Jodo Yatra was against hatred and fear being spread in society and he sees the foot march as “tapasya”, suggesting the Yatra was about austerity and self-meditation.
Targeting the RSS and the BJP, he said they want people to forcibly worship them by using wealth, capturing institutions and creating fear.
“RSS wants they be forcibly worshipped. PM Narendra) Modi ji wants this, that is why he does not meet you (media), that he be worshipped and all people in the country should worship him,” Mr Gandhi alleged.
Invoking Bhagavad Gita, Mr Gandhi said, “…Do your work, what has to happen will happen, don’t focus on the outcome, this is the thinking of this Yatra.” He said hatred is being spread by dividing people of the country. “Hindu-Muslim, people of different castes are pitted against each other,” he added.
On the Yatra, Mr Gandhi said, “We are seeing it as tapasya”.
The Congress believes in ‘tapasya’ while the BJP is an “organisation of pooja”, he said addressing a press conference at Samana. This was the 10th press conference the Congress leader addressed as part of the Yatra so far.
The BJP and the RSS do not respect ‘tapasya’ but want that people who do their ‘pooja’ (worship) be respected only, he added.
Mr Gandhi said the Yatra’s purpose is also to let people hear the true voice of the country.
Replying to a question, Mr Gandhi said, “One thing which I have understood is that this fight is actually not political, superficially it is a political fight. When we fight BSP or TRS, then it is a political contest. But there has been change in the country.
“The day when the RSS controlled the institutions of this country, the fight did not remain political. Now, this has become a different fight. You may call it a fight of ideology, dharam ki fight, or you can give it any framework, but this is not a political fight.” “If you look at Congress party’s history, what you (reporter) said there is an energy in workers. It is an organisation of ‘tapasya’,” he added.
“BJP is a ‘sangathan of pooja’, ” Mr Gandhi claimed, adding both the BJP and the RSS want people to worship them.
He said the Congress’ response is only one and it is ‘tapasya’ and nothing else.
“That is why this Yatra is successful. Because not only the Congress or one individual is doing ‘tapasya’, but lakhs are also doing ‘tapasya’, it is the message of the Yatra,” Gandhi stressed.
He said there should be respect of ‘tapasya’, of skill and work.
He further said, “The BJP and the RSS say there should not be respect of ‘tapasya’ and those who do their ‘pooja’ (worship) only they should be respected. And with this framework you look at demonetisation. Did demonetisation respect the ‘tapasya’ of the poor? Certainly not. It was an attack on ‘tapasya.” “The BJP and the RSS are taking the country towards ‘forced pooja’ with the use of wealth, capturing of institutions and making people fear them,” he alleged.
“They also want you (media) to worship them”, the Congress leader said.
