VHP's Champat Rai praises Rahul for Bharat Jodo Yatra

Vishva Hindu Parishad's international vice-president and general secretary of the trust building the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Champat Rai, praised Rahul Gandhi for undertaking the Bharat Jodo Yatra that is currently passing through UP.

Speaking to reporters, Rai said it was "worthy of appreciation" that a youth was walking on foot across the country in this weather and trying to understand it. This is an additional boost to Gandhi's campaign after he received blessings from the head priest of the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya Acharya Satyendra Das who had wished him success through a letter.

"A youth is walking on foot, it is worthy of appreciation. Who criticised it? I am a worker of the RSS. Did someone from the Sangh criticise it? Has the PM criticised it? A youth is touring the country and trying to understand the country...he has walked 3,000 km on foot in this weather. We will appreciate this move. Everyone should do a padyatra of India and conduct research on the country," Rai said. Das had likened the yatra to the motto of "sarvajan hitaya, sarvajan sukhaya" (welfare and happiness of all) -- a motto used by both the BJP and the BSP to highlight their ideologies of working for all communities. Senior Congress MP Jairam Ramesh in a Twitter post mentioned the overtures made by the two personalities and wondered if it was a "sign of climate change in Yogi's state"?


"After a letter written by the chief priest of Ayodhya welcoming the Bharat Jodo Yatra and praise showered by VHP leaders like Champat Rai, in Baghpat's Bareli we enthusiastically exchanged greetings with people from the BJP office today. Are these signs of a climate change in Yogi's state?" Ramesh wrote.