Awantipora:
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumed his Bharat Jodo Yatra from here in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district today, a day after canceling the foot march in Anantnag district after the party claimed security had lapsed.
Congress on Friday had claimed that police arrangements had “completely collapsed” by the Union Territory administration.
On the allegation, the government of Jammu and Kashmir had said that the strain on security resources due to the larger than planned crowd size may have given an impression of a lack of security arrangements during the Rahul Gandhi-led march.
Mr Gandhi was accompanied by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, her daughter Iltija Mufti and a large number of workers from her party as the march passed through Awantipora on Saturday.
He is likely to be accompanied by his sister and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Strict security arrangements were made for the yatra, with security forces closing all roads to the starting point. Only authorized vehicles and reporters were allowed to access the site.
There was also a three-tier security ring around Gandhi as part of the heightened security measures.
The yatra was received by enthusiastic supporters in the Chursoo area of the southern Kashmir district.
Congressmen and supporters with the party’s tricolor and flags turned out in large numbers to receive Gandhi.
The former congressional chief resumed his walk at 9:20 a.m. in his now-trademark white T-shirt, but wore a sleeveless jacket over it.
Gandhi had to cancel his Friday walk from the Qazigund area as security forces failed to contain 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 meters amid the throng of the huge crowd, the yatra had to stop and Gandhi’s security team advised him not to continue.
Gandhi then drove to the Khanabal area of Anantnag district where he stayed overnight.
The yatra that started from Kanyakumari on September 7 will reach Pantha Chowk in the suburbs of Srinagar later today after a single stop at Birla School in the Galandar area of Pampore.
After stopping there overnight, the yatra would resume on Sunday morning from Pantha Chowk and culminate near Nehru Park on Boulevard Road in the city.
On Monday, Gandhi will unfurl the tricolor at party headquarters on MA Road here, followed by a public rally at SK Stadium here to which 23 political opposition parties have been invited.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is being published from a syndicated feed.)
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