Congress leader Rahul Gandhi along with Former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah during Bharat Jodo Yatra in Banihal South Kashmir on January 27, 2023
| Photo Credit: Nissar Ahmad
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumed his Bharat Jodo Yatra from Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Saturday, a day after cancelling the foot-march in Anantnag district after the party alleged security lapse.
The Congress on Friday had alleged that police arrangements by the Union Territory’s administration “completely collapsed”.
On the allegation, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had said pressure on security resources due to the size of the crowd, larger than planned, may have created an impression of lack of security arrangements during the Rahul Gandhi-led march.
Mr. Gandhi was joined by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, her daughter Iltija Mufti and a large number of workers from her party as the march traversed through Awantipora on Saturday.
He is likely to be joined by his sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Stringent security arrangements were put in place for the yatra, with security forces sealing off all roads leading to its starting point. Only authorised vehicles and reporters were allowed to reach the venue.
There was also a three-layered security ring around Gandhi as part of the heightened security measures.
The yatra was received by enthusiastic supporters at the Chursoo area of the south Kashmir district.
Congress workers and supporters carrying the tricolour and the party’s flags turned up in large numbers to receive Gandhi.
The former Congress chief resumed his walk at 9:20 a.m. in his now-trademark white T-shirt, but wore a sleeveless jacket over it.
Mr. Gandhi had to cancel his walk on Friday from the Qazigund area as security forces failed to manage the large crowd that had gathered on this side of the Banihal tunnel through which the leader entered the Kashmir Valley.
Barely able to walk about 500 metres amidst jostling by the huge crowd, the yatra had to halt and Gandhi’s security team advised him not to go ahead.
Mr. Gandhi then drove to the Khanabal area of Anantnag district where he stayed for the night.
The yatra which started from Kanyakumari on September 7, is scheduled to reach Pantha Chowk in the outskirts of Srinagar later in the day, after a single stop near Birla School in Galandar area of Pampore.
After a night’s halt there, the yatra would resume on Sunday morning from Pantha Chowk and will culminate near Nehru Park on Boulevard Road in the city.
On Monday, Gandhi will unfurl the tricolour at the party headquarters at M A Road here, following which a public rally at SK Stadium here for which 23 opposition political parties have been invited.
Kharge writes to Amit Shah
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Home Minister Amit Shah seeking his intervention in ensuring adequate security to the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir.
His letter to Mr. Shah comes after the Bharat Jodo Yatra was suspended for the afternoon session on Friday following a “security lapse”, with the Congress alleging that the Jammu and Kashmir Police had withdrawn security around its leader Rahul Gandhi in the wake of surging crowds during the foot march in Qazigund.
“We are expecting a huge gathering to join the yatra over the next two days and also the function that will be held on 30th January at Srinagar. Many senior Congress leaders and leaders of other important political parties are attending the culmination function to be held on the 30th of January.”
“I shall be grateful if you could personally intervene in this matter and advise the concerned officials to provide adequate security till the culmination of the yatra and the function on the 30th January at Srinagar,” the Congress president said in his letter to the Home Minister.
He said he is writing after the “unfortunate security lapse” during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
On the advice of the security officials in charge of the security detail of Rahul Gandhi, the Yatra had to be suspended, Mr. Kharge said.
“We appreciate the Jammu and Kashmir Police and welcome their statement saying they will continue to ensure complete security till the culmination of the journey,” he said.
However, the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha also said, “You will appreciate the fact that a large crowd of common people has joined and walked in the Bharat Jodo Yatra every day. It is difficult for the organisers to tell exactly how many people are expected over the day as it is a spontaneous gesture of the common people to join the yatra.” The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Mr. Gandhi started in Kanyakumari on September 7 and will culminate on January 30 in Srinagar after traversing through 12 states.
The 3,500-km foot march is aimed at galvanising the Congress cadres across the country, but the party is claiming that the Yatra is not political and seeks to unite India in the wake of growing “hatred”.