Srinagar, Jan 28 (KNS): The Rahul Gandhi led Bharat Jodo Yatra on Saturday resumed from Awantipora where former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and her daughter Iltija Mufti joined Gandhi.
Besides Priyanka Gandhi walked alongside the former Congress president amidst tight security arrangements before the yatra stopped for a break at Lethpora. The yatra was scheduled to halt at Panthachowk for the night. Thereafter the yatra would resume on Sunday morning from Pantha Chowk and will culminate near Nehru Park on Boulevard Road in heart of the city.
On Monday, Gandhi will unfurl the tricolour at JKPCC headquarters at M A Road here, following which a public rally at SK Stadium is scheduled to be held for which 23 political parties have been invited.
Former chief ministers including Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah Saturday said that the Rahul Gandhi's ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra has received massive response from the people across south Kashmir.
"Rahul Gandhi’s yatra comes like a breath of fresh air in Kashmir. It is the first time since 2019 Kashmiris have come out of their homes in such massive numbers. Was a great experience to walk with him," the PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said.
Similarly National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah who also joined the yatra on Friday said that the talking heads are largely silent and the channels don’t really want to talk about it but you don’t have to be visually challenged to see the Bharat Joda Yatra has got a very good response from Kashmiris. "Young and old, men & women, have been lining the road and marching for unity," Omar said.
He said that the most glaring silence has been from those “Kashmir experts” who waste no opportunity to paint Kashmiris as anti-national, communal and intolerant. The public participation flies in the face of this propaganda and that explains the total radio silence, he added.
Meanwhile, ADGP Vijay Kumar said "We're giving 3-tier protection, all security arrangements have been done. Bharat Jodo yatra is going on smoothly". The ADGP added that traffic has also been diverted and there won't be any problem. "No security lapses happened yesterday, so many people did foot march," he maintained. (KNS)