Rahul flies to Delhi as Jan 21 is rest day
Gopal Sharma
KATHUA, Jan 20: Braving winter rains, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumed his Bharat Jodo Yatra from Hatli Morh in the border district of Kathua today with several prominent leaders, including Shiv Sena stalwart Sanjay Raut, who also joined foot march.
Gandhi donned a black raincoat over a white T-shirt to protect himself from rain which had started during midnight. The Yatra was scheduled to start at 7 am but was delayed by an hour apparently due to the inclement weather.
The march, which started from Kanyakumari on September 7, entered Jammu and Kashmir from Punjab on Thursday evening and is scheduled to end in Srinagar on January 30.
Several Congress leaders, including the party’s Jammu and Kashmir unit president Vikar Rasool Wani and his predecessor G A Mir, working president Raman Bhalla, chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, PYC chief Uday Bhanu and others accompanied Gandhi during the final leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said, “I have come to join the Yatra on behalf of my party. The atmosphere in the country is changing fast and I am seeing Gandhi as a leader who is raising his voice on real issues.”
“The way people are connecting with this yatra is heartwarming. He is a leader and that is why he is on the roads. The people will choose, who would be their leader,” he added.
The march entered Jammu and Kashmir through Lakhanpur on Thursday evening and halted there for the night following the flag handover ceremony which was attended by a galaxy of prominent leaders including National Conference president, Farooq Abdullah.
A tight security ring, comprising of police and CRPF personnel, was thrown around Gandhi as he started walking along with his supporters despite the rains which lashed wide parts of Jammu and Kashmir since early on Friday morning.
Many Congress activists and supporters carrying tri-colours turned up a couple of hours before the start of the Yatra which covered 25 km before halting at Chadwal in the Kathua district for the night.
During Yatra, a delegation of ex-servicemen led by Param Vir Chakra awardee, Capt Bana Singh also joined and moved with Gandhi for about 45 minutes. PoJK refugees’ delegation led by Rajiv Chuni and Sikh United Front’s group led by S S Wazir also joined Rahul Gandhi during yatra from Hatli Morh to Channi today.
There will be no march on Saturday due to rest day. The Yatris are observing rest day after every six days of Yatra. It will be resumed from Hiranagar Morh on July 22 at 7 am and after passing through Ghagwal and Samba, Yatra will culminate at Nanake Chak for night halt and next day will start from Vijaypur and reach Satwari in Jammu in the late evening of January 23.
In view of rest on Saturday and early completion of Yatra today, Rahul Gandhi left for Delhi and will return tomorrow, the party sources said.
The youth carrying placards and garlands were seen waiting at different places en-route Jammu-Pathankot National Highway.
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