Congress President and Leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha) Shri Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a public meeting at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium, Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir) on January 30, 2023.

My brothers and sisters who have come for ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, sitting on this dais and the head of ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ Shri Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi ji and all the Party leaders who are sitting on this dais, I apologize for not being able to name everyone for the lack of time. But I’ll just say a few things remembering them all, because it’s snowing. We have come from Karnataka. It is a new thing for us -to snow so much and it is a new environment too. We got a little scared when Rahul Gandhi ji decided to walk from Kanyakumari to Kashmir for the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’. Now Priyanka ji has said that we got worried about how will it be successful when there is such a huge distance from Kanyakumari to Kashmir (we are staying here today)? What kind of decision did Rahul Gandhi take? But let me start by saying something about such a long distance that he covered “Darr mujhe bhi laga faasla dekhkar, par main badhta gaya raasta dekhkar.” “Darr mujhe bhi laga faasla dekhkar, (from Kanyakumari to Kashmir) par main badhta gaya raasta dekhkar. Khud-b-khud mere nazdeek aati gayi, meri manzil mera hauslaa dekhkar.”

So, I congratulate him on behalf of our Party, on behalf of the entire public and on behalf of all the people who walked with him day-and-night, irrespective of the unfavourable weather conditions (heavy snowfall or downpour), for covering such a great distance. I also thank and congratulate more than 200 people who supported him while walking, the passengers who stayed with him day-and-night - Be it sunshine or cold!

Along with that, after seeing the enthusiasm and spirit of the people in Kashmir to connect us with them in 2-4 days, we realized that the people of Kashmir are the most generous, liberal and take everyone together - This is a great contribution of Kashmiriyat. So that’s why friends, I would say that his journey was not to win any election, not just to take the Congress Party forward, it was a journey against hatred. Today, BJP and RSS people are spreading hatred everywhere, so, he decided that we will keep fighting against hatred, keep telling people and he tried to meet everyone from children to old people, technologists, doctors, engineers, students, small and medium shopkeepers and those who do small jobs, farmers etc. He met everyone including many women and children. He saw everything and that too while practically walking, not just by flying in the air like Modi sahab who always keeps flying in the air every new day.....8 days back, he was roaming in my Constituency seeing the election.

So, today, Rahul Gandhi Ji has proved that he can connect (the entire nation) from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and he is fighting against all the issues of the people - be it inflation or unemployment. And I want to tell you one thing - Modi ji, RSS and BJP want to keep the poor in their unaltered state in this country and make the rich richer.10 percent people are looting 72 percent property of this country and 50 percent people have only 3 percent property, so that’s why, we have to fight against it and we will fight; especially for the problem of Kashmir here - it was made a union territory. ‘Kashmir’ - which is called ‘Jannat’ (Heaven) - they have made this ‘Jannat’ a union territory, but Rahul Gandhi ji has the intention of making it an assembly and bring statehood here and Kashmir will become a state by forming an assembly here, the purpose for which we will use all our might.

Due to paucity of time, I do not want to say anything more. Once again, many congratulations to him for being the one who fought on the road today, met many people, that too with love and as it was told just now that he has spread love in the atmosphere of hate, you should also do the same and that is why, I would like to say that in spite of so much snow, you unitedly supported him and us with enthusiasm, thank you all for that. All the opposition parties who are associated with us, have come here, I thank the leaders of all those opposition parties from Kanyakumari to Kashmir who have associated with us.

So, having said this, I do not wish to say anything further. Congratulations to all of you, you all have seen us, joined us, that’s why I conclude my speech by thanking you once again.

Jai Hind! Jodo, Jodo, Bharat Jodo! Jai Hind, Jai Hind!

Rahul Gandhi Zindabad, Rahul Gandhi Zindabad!

Thanking you all and saying ‘Namastey’ once again, I conclude my speech. Now Shri Rahul Gandhi will deliver a speech in front of you. Be all ears to him.