At the Conclave 2023, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also shed some light on why the Bharat Jodo Yatra was conceptualized, saying that the communication machinery was heavily influenced by the BJP, making it practically impossible to reach the people through it.
Speaking exclusively to Director of Pratidin Media Network, Rishi Baruah, Gandhi said, “In 21st-century India, the communication architecture is so heavily influenced by the BJP that it is practically impossible to reach people through it. It's very clear that all my social media handles are being suppressed, and you can see it. So, the yatra was a necessity to communicate with the people. Regardless of what we say in the opposition, it doesn't get through without distortion in the national media.”
Upon being asked about his takeaways from the yatra, Gandhi said,”For me, the big learning was the old-style communication, which Mahatma Gandhi ji pioneered - going and meeting people. No matter how much effort the BJP puts in or how much the media tries to distort it, it doesn't work. It's almost like a reversal of mass media capture.”
“The personal learning was that where you think your limit lies, it is nowhere near where it actually lies. Your limit is much further than you can imagine,” he added.
The Congress MP further said that there is an apparent “media and financial attack” they are facing, but the new alliance has banded together and understands what is at stake. He also stated why the acronym INDIA was chosen for their alliance.
“If they were to write a cheque for any opposition party, ask them what happens to them. So we are facing a financial attack, a media attack and we're doing pretty well...We are not fighting now a political party, we are fighting the Indian state and we are fighting to defend the idea of India. And that is why we have given our name INDIA."
