PM Modi's stance on Chinese incursion 'heart-breaking': Rahul in 'Motorcycle Diaries'

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday shared his recent visit to Ladakh through his 'Motorcycle Diaries', saying that it broke his heart to see a sense of betrayal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he lied about China not occupying the country's land in Ladakh.

He said that Ladakh is one of India's crown jewels and world's most important strategic locations.

He added that he will do everything he can to amplify the democratic voice of Ladakh.

Sharing the video of his journey titled 'Motorcycle Diaries: Listening to Ladakh', on YouTube, Rahul Gandhi said: "My father once told me that Pangong Tso Lake is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I've always yearned to go to Ladakh, to witness the majestic views, listen to the people, understand their problems, and share their happiness."

The Congress leader said, "As I continued on my 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', I thought to myself, what better way to visit Ladakh than on a motorcycle! And so began this epic journey."

"Flanked by my fellow bike riders, I experienced one of the most exhilarating journey of my life on my KTM390. The 1000+ km we rode were filled with pure adrenaline and camaraderie. I saw great potential in these youngsters, to think outside the box and not be afraid to push the boundaries."

He recalled the experience of his visit to Ladakh and said, "Every village and town we passed by, from Leh to Kargil, we were embraced by the incredible Ladakhi people."

"They are humble, empathetic, and resilient. Their wisdom about Ladakh is unmatched, and any plan for the future development of the region must be based on their inputs. Without hesitation I can say, the most beautiful part about Ladakh is its people."

He also recalled his meeting with people and said: "It was inspiring to revel in the spirit of patriotism with our ex-servicemen, on-duty Army and police personnel, the BRO officers and workers whom I met during this journey. They are the brave sons of our Bharat Mata."

"Ladakh is one of India's crown jewels, and one of the world's most important strategic locations. It broke my heart to see a sense of betrayal in the eyes of the people of Ladakh. They felt betrayed by the Prime Minister when he lied about China not occupying our land. They felt betrayed by the BJP government when it failed to fulfil any of the promises it made to them. A government must empower all its people, and Ladakh needs good governance."

"I will do everything I can to amplify the democratic voice of Ladakh. Bharat Mata Ki Jai," he added.

Rahul Gandhi visited Ladakh for more than eight days from August 17-25 and visited Leh, Pangong Tso Lake area, Kargil and many other parts of Ladakh.

Sharing the video, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh in a tweet said, "On January 24, during the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', Rahul Gandhi had met a delegation from Ladakh in Kotli Jhajjar and it included people, who wanted him to come to Ladakh. He fulfilled his promise last month. Taking forward the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', he went to Ladakh."

In the video, Rahul Gandhi can be seen with a group of biking enthusiasts, who travelled with him to Pangong Tso Lake and other areas of Ladakh on motorcycles, passing through rough and rocky terrain. He is also seen interacting with various groups around Ladakh and getting to know their demands.

"I spoke with the people, mothers, sisters and youth, and tried to understand what is in your heart. One thing is clear the ideology of Gandhi and the Congress is in the blood and DNA of Ladakh. I would like to tell you that in the next Parliament session, I will raise your main issues," he is heard saying to the people of Ladakh in the video.

Earlier, the Congress leader had surprised the people with his visits as on Augist 1, he visited Azadpur Mandi in Delhi, one of Asia's biggest wholesale vegetable and fruit market.

In July, he had visited the farm fields in Haryana's Sonipat and sowed the paddy saplings and even invited the women farmers at his residence over lunch.

He had taken a truck ride from Haryana's Murthal to Ambala in May to understand the problems faced by the truck drivers. He had met the gig workers in Karnataka's Bengaluru and also drove on scooty with a delivery partner.

He had visited the Delhi University's PG Men's hostel for lunch with students, also visited Mukherjee Nagar area of Delhi to interact with UPSC aspirants and also travelled to Jama Masjid and Bengali Market area in April this year.