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The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday entered its 15th day and is scheduled to enter Thrissur district of Kerala this evening.
Congress party leaders and workers from Parambayam Juma Masjid in Kochi joined Gandhi as he resumed his yatra today. On Wednesday, the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' got embroiled in a controversy after the picture of RSS ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar appeared among other freedom fighters on a poster which was meant to welcome the Congress party leaders in Kerala. As soon as photographs of the banner with Savarkar's picture went viral on the internet, the BJP said that Savarkar's "pictures adorning Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra banner is a good realisation for Rahul Gandhi." However, Congress termed it as a printing mistake and said immediate action has been taken against the local leader while a detailed probe is being conducted." The banner has Savarkar's picture among photographs of other freedom fighters like Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Gobind Ballabh Pant and Chandrashekhar Azadwent viral on the internet. Reacting to the faux pas, Congress alleged that the BJP-RSS person deliberately tampered with the banner and said that they will probe the matter. After the embarrassment and criticism from the BJP, the party acted swiftly and the Savarkar picture was covered by a picture of the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi on the campaign poster for 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. Notably, Congress has always criticised Savarkar, claiming that he apologised to the British instead of fighting them. Earlier on Wednesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP-led government of favouring big business and took a dig at billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani, saying "he can monopolise any business he wants in the country". "He can monopolise any business he wants in the country. He can buy any airport and port. He can dominate agriculture, power and solar business. Who gives him money to build these businesses? It comes from public sector banks, it is your money," Rahul Gandhi said. Addressing a public meeting at Paravoor Junction in Aluva in Kochi here during a break in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi made a veiled reference to Gautam Adani and said the second-richest man on the planet is from India and asked "who gives him money to build businesses". On Wednesday, Gandhi began his Yatra by paying tributes to spiritual leader Sree Narayana Guru. "An inspiring start to the day. Offered my tributes to the great spiritual leader, philosopher and social reformer, Sree Narayana Guru whose teachings of equality are key to the idea of #BharatJodoYatra," Gandhi tweeted. The 3,500-km march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir will be completed in 150 days and cover as many as 12 states. From Kerala, the Yatra will traverse through the state for the next 18 days, reaching Karnataka on September 30. It will be in Karnataka for 21 days before moving north. The Padyatra (march) will cover a distance of 25 km every day. (ANI)
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