India: Rahul Gandhi completes his great march to "reunite India"

Rahul Gandhi, center right, and his sister and party leader Priyanka Vadra, center left, with their supporters during the 'India Unity March' in Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir on Sunday January 29, 2023. AP - Mukhtar Khan

Text by: Sébastien Farcis Follow

3 mins

In India, it is this January 30 that the incredible journey of the leader of the Indian opposition ends.

For four months, Rahul Gandhi traveled on foot about 500 km from north to south India, to unify the country and rekindle the flame of his century-old Congress party. 

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From our correspondent in New Delhi,

Officially, the leader of the opposition has embarked on such a

to unify India, and this is the name given to this great march, Bharat Jodo in Hindi.

Why unify it?

Because according to the opposition and many civil society actors, the

, in power for almost nine years, has strongly polarized Indian society between Hindus openly supported by the ruling party, one side, who should defend themselves against the so-called Islamization of India, and the Muslims shouted down, persecuted, beaten and imprisoned on the other.

This Congress party also condemns the policy of persecution of all opponents, by federal agencies and the capture of the private media, by the threat or the purchase of the channels - which would prevent the political opposition from existing and being heard. . 

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Rahul Gandhi revives the tradition of great marches

Rahul Gandhi, this executive of the Congress party, son and grandson of prime ministers and himself a candidate for this post twice, wanted to rekindle the flame of the great marches led by Mahatma Gandhi to fight against colonial oppression. , then by the great Indian leaders since.

During these four months, this fifties walked, under the tropical heat of Kerala or the freezing rain of Kashmir, most of the time in a short-sleeved polo shirt, his beard transformed into a bush to insist on this image of an ascetic who is adored by Indians.

During the course, he is then joined by people of all origins, men, old, young, women, Hindus, Sikhs or Muslims, whom he kisses, with whom he speaks, in order to show that he does not discriminate not him.

A way to reconnect with the people, while this Congress party has lost almost all its elections for nine years, and is therefore threatened with marginalization. 

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The opposition Congress party, led by Rahul Gandhi (in the center, with the white t-shirt), marches alongside supporters, in New Delhi, India, December 24, 2022. © Bhumika Saraswati / AP

Fundamental problems remain

But it's also a huge publicity exercise and that's the limit.

This march may revitalize its image, but the fundamental problems remain: the Congress remains a party divided between local caciques, without a strong central leader, and which continues to rely on the reputation of the Gandhi dynasty alone to get elected. .

But that no longer works, and the new opposition, led by the regional parties, is chipping away at its votes and further dividing the opposition in the face of an all-powerful BJP.

To unify India, the Congress will therefore first have to unify its cadres, and dare to fight the BJP on its ground by showing that it is possible to be a devout Hindu while respecting Muslims, thus returning to the constitutional foundations. and laity of India.  

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