Bharat Jodo got 'very good response' from Kashmiris, says Omar; points out 'total radio silence' from 'Kashmir experts'

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Saturday said the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra received a good response in Kashmir, but TV media and "Kashmir experts" are silent about it

Srinagar:National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Saturday said the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra received a good response in Kashmir, but TV media and "Kashmir experts" are silent about it. "The talking heads are largely silent & the channels don't really want to talk about it but you don't have to be visually challenged to see the #BharatJodoYatra has got a very good response from Kashmiris. Young & Old, men & women, have been lining the road & marching for unity," the former J&K chief minister tweeted.

"The most glaring silence has been from those "Kashmir experts" who waste no opportunity to paint Kashmiris as anti-national, communal, intolerant. The public participation flies in the face of this propaganda & that explains the total radio silence," he added. Abdullah also joined the march at Banihal on Friday where he alleged that the outer ring of security cordon maintained by Jammu and Kashmir Police “simply vanished” as soon as the Yatra entered the Kashmir Valley.

The march was stopped on Friday near Qazigund, the gateway to the valley, after the Congress alleged breach of security and mismanagement of crowd by the Jammu and Kashmir administration. “I’m witness to this. The outer ring of the cordon which was maintained by the Jammu and Kashmir police simply vanished within minutes of Rahul Gandhi starting to walk,” Abdullah said in a tweet. “We had just crossed into Kashmir from Jammu and were looking forward to the 11-km walk but unfortunately it had to be cancelled,” he said.