 Hello hello, I Apologize we've had to reschedule this press conference from 1 p.m.. To 2 p.m.. Sheeral Gandhi is here senior leaders of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee are also present We have about 30 to 35 minutes at most for this press interaction Because there are other engagements that mr. Gandhi has including resuming the 15th day of the Bharat Jodo Yatra Questions can be asked in Malayalam For those who want to ask in Malayalam mr. Satishan will translate the questions Questions can be of course asked in English and Hindi. I'll request free Raul Gandhi in case he wants to make a brief Two-minute three-minute we can start or we go straight into questions answers So let's go straight into questions and answers. We have finished today is the 15th day. We've finished 325 kilometers so far So those of you who want to ask questions, I would request you this press interaction is on the Bharat Jodo Yatra So please keep your questions on the Bharat Jodo Yatra Who will be the first question in? Yeah, anyone who wants to ask a question in Malayalam nobody nobody. Yeah, please I have just two questions for you. I can't actually hear you properly Well, mr. Pedra, we can has Revolved that when you started your Yatra from Kanyakumari Goa Congress has already finished. I Can't actually hear what you're saying Just say it without the mic. No sir One question per person so you choose the question you'd like to ask and ask which is the question Your question is that the chief minister has said that the Goa Congress has an issue Because of the Bharat because and the Bharat Jodo Yatra is going on. Yeah, as I've said many times before We are fighting a machine That has captured the institutional framework of this country. We're fighting a machine that has Unlimited money Unlimited ability to pressurize people Unlimited ability to buy people Unlimited ability to threaten people and The outcome of that is what you have seen in Goa the Yatra is designed to Tell the people of India that they need to be united that they need to go back to an India which was Loving and affectionate to itself So these are two distinct things And of course the chief minister has every right to his opinion Can can you give him a mic that works? Can you hear me? Can you hear me? Yeah. Yeah, it's been 15 days. So you are initial feedback from the Yatra and We have seen good response in Kerala But once it enters into BJP road stage, do you see this kind of momentum building up? in other states I see Kerala has been frankly overwhelming success and People have been coming out Regardless of their affiliations so that is Very very encouraging The success of the Yatra is Based on a couple of ideas First idea is that a India that stands united is Not at war with itself is not angry with itself is not full of hatred is something that Majority of Indian people appreciate and like so that's one idea that is pushing the Yatra There are two other ideas that are also pushing the Yatra one is The level of unemployment that India is facing today Devastating unemployment. That's just not a Kerala issue. That's across the country and the third issue is The prices which are just skyrocketing. These are the three ideas that are Pushing and encouraging the Yatra these ideas are interconnected There is a link between the spreading of hatred by the BJP RSS the concentration of capital by a chosen few and The gross unemployment that India is facing and the massive increase in prices that India is facing These things are connected to each other and the people of India and the people of Kerala are beginning to realize that my expectation is that It will not matter which state we go to the effect of the Yatra Will be the same in state after state after state regardless of who's running that state because there is an underlying problem now in India and The people of India and particularly the youth of India are feeling tremendous pain How would you to make this fruitful your to make your Yatra fruitful you should have Traveled through UP more than two days. No, that was an opinion. Well came from the CPA the thing is that the Yatra is Is a is a Yatra that goes From one point of India to another point of India. That's the idea and that's the way we've designed the route We're not going to UP. We are going to UP for probably a little while, but we're for example not going to Bihar We're not going to West Bengal. We're not going to Gujarat right and the reason is that it is the Yatra from one end of India to another end of India That's because frankly We can't walk 10,000 kilometers either, right? So there is a limit. There is a there is a limit to sort of the the route and stuff like that Don't don't worry about that because we We have a view on what needs to be done in Uttar Pradesh. We have a very clear view. Don't worry about that Oh In the last press conference, I made my position very clear You know then that remains my position. I mean I've explained it multiple times Just take a look. Just take a look at the last press conference. You'll see exactly what I said Look, I have repeated myself many many times take a look at the last press conference And you'll you'll have a very good sense of what I said How we all know you have a National perception So my question to you is what is the one piece of advice you would give to those who want to contest for the office of Congress President one piece of advice that You are taking on a a position It's a historic position And it's a position that defines and Has defined a particular view of India The Congress president is not just an organizational post the Congress president is a Ideological post it It is a belief system So my advice would be that Whoever becomes Congress president should remember That he represents a set of ideas He represents a belief system and he represents a vision of India Raoji we all know you have a greater national perspective, but your yatra now is in Kerala every day The Congress Kerala Congress leaders rising new issues against the state government, but not a single word against Pundray government in your speech in Kerala How are you evaluating the left government in Kerala? look an evaluation of the left government in Kerala Is better done by the leadership of the Congress in Kerala I'm very clear what my goal is With regards to this yatra My goal with regards to this yatra is to put across to the people of India that the hatred the violence and the arrogance That is now visible in our country is not good for our country This country has a tradition of humility of Non-violence of compassion and that is actually the true India the two other ideas that I'm placing on the table is The level of disparity between rich and poor in India has now reached a point of no return The poor are suffering high prices Unemployment and they are going through very very painful times and then there is a handful of people who have immense wealth and My position is that this contrast is not good for India That is what I'm focusing on. Of course as far as the Left-front goes I have an Ideological disagreement with them And I have I have issues with how they view Politics You know and and Kerala Me me me me me me me Pitchley press conference me both clearly, but I do not have a little patience. You'll find out what's going to happen My my communication my communication The congress worker who We are a family My communication with them is direct media through me So my direct link with them Or who who asks me I directly tell them Every question is connected to that idea again I have I've made my position clear and I don't want to delve on this subject because I'm you're making me answer the same question six seven times Right. I've made my clear position very clear. You can look at many such interactions that have taken place in the past You'll get my answer. It's always been the same Abhi abhi to abhi to Bharat Yatari Matlab Shuru Vini why? So Matlab abhi to Kya Dostin, Teensaw Kilometer, Teensaw, Pachchis Kilometer who are you? Is Kua Bharat Yatari, Neekai Satte is Kua Pada Neepat Se did Paat Se District Kya Yatari Kaisa So, let's see let's see as it goes along Yeah, he's a while up. I say So It's a dozen Baat Poochi. I think I'll go better job. They pounder Joe what we have decided Joe. I'm a Udaipur made decide Oh Congress party kind of commitment. Hey, so I expect that commitment will be maintained The key a leg a leg Vecti a leg a leg she's okay, but it won't take a Fisherman similar To fisherman a key Joe, I'm a re-zameen a super encroachment ki a jarra or Joe, I'm a re-zinega Tariqa. I'm super Akraman a rubber worker se pujie So, we have to go the second Tariqa. He came a key to the key Africa say Import, I'm a no son. I'm a no son, but we'll be a carry on indirectly. We'll be a carry on key Joe, I'm a re-zameen who's part I'm a pressure or I'm a giant or pujie, but yeah, okay, right? through a bar up to the head key Hindustan Do teen char, but a buddy of patti I believe you have a new owner, you have a new owner, that's what I'm talking about, right? I'm going to answer your question, but that's just an example of what I was saying. I'm going to answer a question, but by the way, ownership of newspapers is not immaterial at all. Ownership of newspapers defines what newspapers do. I am, as I have repeatedly said, this is a Yatra being done by hundreds of congresspeople. Actually in Kerala now, lakhs of people. I am a participant in this Yatra. You choose to focus everything on me, right? This is your choice, but the idea of the Yatra is hundreds, thousands, lakhs of congresspeople walking from one side, one point in India to the other point in India, right? So, of course, I have a view. I have an idea of why I'm doing the Yatra, but there are millions of people now who are involved in this. And your question about, you know, whether I'm a candidate or whether I'm not a candidate is designed to distract from what we're doing. And I'm not going to fall into that trap. Sir, today there are raids that are happening across the country on PFI leaders' houses and PFI offices. I can't hear you. Today there are raids that are happening across the country on PFI offices and PFI leaders' houses. About 105 of them have been arrested. There are also talks that this could be a first step before banning them and PFI is claiming that this is basically a vendetta because the ruling party is trying to muffle their voice. What is your view on this? What's your reaction? My view is that all forms of communalism, all forms of violence, regardless of where they come from are the same and should be combated. There should be zero tolerance on communalism regardless of where it's coming from. The people who are walking with us in the Bharat Jodo Yatra are evaluating the left front government. They are telling you what they think about the left front government. It is not my place. By walking, they are giving you a sentiment, right? But my main aim in this Yatra, and I've repeatedly said it, my focus in this Yatra is the hatred, the anger, the violence that the BJP and the RSS are spreading. I don't want to get into a conversation that diverts me from that aim. My aim is very clear. Point number one, we are not going to accept an India which is divided, hateful. We are not going to accept it. Neither is the Congress party going to accept it. Neither is the opposition going to accept it. Neither are the people of India going to accept it. Point number two, we are not going to accept an India where our youngsters cannot get employment. Point number three, we are not going to accept an India where the poor people are drowning in high prices. This is my message and I'm not going to get distracted from this message. Well, to be honest with you, I've got a lot of left front workers coming and shaking hands with me. I mean, they're there. They're on the sides of the roads because they appreciate, they appreciate the idea of what we are doing. Of course, it becomes very difficult in political combat for senior leaders of the left front to support what we're doing. We're going to understand that. But inside their heart, right, even they know that the point I'm raising, the idea that India is being divided, hatred is being spread in India, in their heart, they know I'm raising a correct point. I'm going to tell you that clearly and that's our goal. Look, in the politics of India, any action should be taken, any action. If I go out and talk to five people here, then you will say that this is for 2024. If I go and tell them to eat ice cream with someone, you will say, I've eaten ice cream for 2024. But this is not true. According to me, the most important thing today that is being distributed to India, that is being broken, that is being spread hatred, that is it. I do think that it is very important that the opposition parties come together. And I think that is required to fight the ideology and the financial power and the institutional power as a result of the capture of the BJP and the RSS. So yes, I do think it is important that the opposition has a discussion and comes out with a strategy. Look, I think any Congress worker, Congress leader who wants to fight the Congress election has the right to fight the Congress election. So I think it's not a bad thing, I think it's a good thing. But I'd like to point out one thing that it's interesting to me that everybody asks the question about when the Congress party election is going to take place, who is going to fight the Congress party election. But you do not do this about any other political party in the country. You do not ask this question about the BJP, you do not ask this question about the RSS, you do not ask this question about the Communists, you do not ask this question about the Samajwadi, about the BSP, you don't ask this question. And I am saying this with a significant degree of pride because we are the only political party in this country that does this. Mr. Gandhi has had two press interactions in the last 15 days. There are some leaders who have been in public life for 20 years and not had a single press conference. No, I think there's only one leader, not some leaders. I think there's only one leader. Mr. Gandhi has other engagements now, please. He has to meet others and then go back to the Yatra. So thank you very much for joining us. Thank you. Thank you.