Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra reached Madhya Pradesh’s Shajapur city on a Tuesday, where he encountered an unexpected greeting by BJP supporters who chanted ‘Modi-Modi’ as his convoy passed. Mr. Gandhi stepped out from his vehicle to greet the BJP workers with handshakes and even blew a kiss in a gesture of camaraderie. Corporator Mukesh Dubey, who led the group, offered potatoes to Mr. Gandhi, a symbolic jest referring to an old video that the opposition misinterpreted to suggest Mr. Gandhi spoke of converting potatoes into gold.
Mr. Gandhi leveraged this occurrence to underscore his message of spreading love in the face of animosity during a later gathering in Ujjain, urging people to ‘open a shop of love in the market of hatred.’ His day also included a visit to the Mahakaleshwar temple alongside political colleagues before advancing with his yatra.
Addressing the issue of unemployment, the Congress MP critiqued the Modi government during speeches made in the continuation of the yatra, saying that he wishes the nation to not just chant holy slogans but to also address the hunger that arises from a lack of jobs. Highlighting the high unemployment rates, he pointed out the rate is reportedly higher than neighboring countries like Pakistan. Mr. Gandhi also criticized the Agniveer scheme introduced by the government, which he felt betrays the assurances previously offered to military personnel regarding pensions and respect in the event of sacrifice. According to him, this program would result in the removal of many servicemen, particularly affecting the SC, ST, and OBC communities.