Srinagar: A day after suspending the march in south Kashmir's Anantnag due to an alleged security lapse, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday resumed the concluding Kashmir leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Pulwama towards Srinagar amid tight security arrangements.
The foot march under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi started at 9 am from Shiraz filling station Nambal in Awantipora and halt at Birla Open Minds International School Pampore at 1:30 pm in the afternoon. The Yatra will have a night stay at Truck Yard Pantha Chowk in Srinagar.
Mehbooba to join
Sources said that Rahul will be joined by former JK Chief Minister and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti and many other leaders on the way. The Congress leader may also pay tribute to the slain CRPF personnel killed in the 2019 Lethpora suicide attack on the national highway. However, an official confirmation is awaited in this regard. Rahul's sister and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi is also expected to join Rahul during the Kashmir leg of the yatra.
Also read: Omar Abdullah joins Bharat Jodo Yatra from Banihal
Elaborate security arrangements have been put in place on the yatra route along the highway. The Kashmir leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra started on Friday from Banihal where former JK CM Omar Abdullah joined Rahul. However, the Congress leader suspended the yatra while alleging lack of security by the JK administration.
'Security lapse'
As soon as Rahul crossed the Navyug Tunnel, a sea of people went to welcome him. In a press conference at Anantnag, Rahul said his security personnel asked him to reconsider the foot march in view of lack of security. Accordingly, Rahul changed his mind and gave up the journey on foot and went to Anantnag by vehicle, where he accused the government of lax security while addressing the media.
Police reject security lapse
The JK Police came out with a statement rejecting the allegations. The police said that "only authorised persons as identified by organisers and frisked crowd was allowed inside towards the route of Yatra". Organisers and managers of Bharat Jodo Yatra did not intimate about large gathering from Banihal joining the Yatra, which thronged near the starting point, police said.
Rahul will address the concluding mega rally of the yatra in Srinagar where he will unfurl the tricolor at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on January 30. Meanwhile, the Traffic Police has issued a diversion plan on the highway for Saturday in view of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
