Despite facing backlash and criticism, especially from the opponent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for Congress''Bharat Jodo Yatra', Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the suffering of millions of poor people in India needs to be reduced.
"It's not easy and can't be possible if India is divided, angry, full of hatred for itself," said the Wayanad MP during his yatra in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram.
Without naming anyone Gandhi said that some people have asked about the need for 'Bharat Jodo' adding that India has many critical goals to achieve.
"Some people have asked about the need for 'Bharat Jodo'. India has many critical goals to achieve... we've to reduce the suffering of millions of poor people. It's not easy; can't be possible if India is divided, angry, full of hatred for itself," Gandhi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Before his address, Gandhi walked through Kazhakkoottam in Kerala during Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra.
The Congress party's Bharat Jodo Yatra entered the second day in Kerala today, amid an encouraging turnout of people who have been lining up the streets of the state in thousands to extend support to Rahul Gandhi who has embarked on the 3,500 km Kanyakumari-Kashmir foot march.
Besides those turning up to join the foot march, scores of people lined up on both sides of the road to witness the 'padayatra' led by Gandhi, who is also the MP from Wayanad in Kerala.
Earlier in the day, the Congress also triggered controversy after it tweeted an image of Khaki shorts on fire on Twitter with a caption "to free the country from shackles of hate and undo the damage done by BJP-RSS...".
The BJP and the RSS accused it of spreading "hatred and contempt" and calling it a "blatant instigation for violence".
The BJP lashed out at the Congress for its "promotion of violence and hatred" with its spokesperson Sambit Patra dubbing the yatra as "Bharat Todo Yatra" and "Aag Lagao Yatra". Patra demanded that the Congress immediately take down the post, saying there is no room for violence in India's constitutional scheme of things.
RSS Joint General Secretary Manmohan Vaidya said the Congress wants to connect people through hatred. He alleged that the party's earlier generations of leadership also harboured "hatred and contempt" for the Sangh but could not stop its rise.
Alleging that the Congress has had an old association with "fire", Patra said Punjab was put on fire when the party was in power and Sikhs were burnt alive during the 1984 riots.
"This is a blatant instigation for arson and murder. This instigation has been done by the Gandhi family and the Congress at their behest," he said.
This is typical of Rahul Gandhi, Patra said, alleging that he is present at events where "anti-India" rants are delivered but is absent from programmes linked to nationalism.
