A day after the Bharat Jodo Yatra was suspended following an alleged security lapse, Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti joined the march in J&K's Awantipora and called it a 'breath of fresh air'. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi also joined the march.
Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, "Rahul Gandhi’s yatra comes like a breath of fresh air in Kashmir. It is the first time since 2019 that Kashmiris have come out of their homes in such massive numbers it. Was a great experience to walk with him."
The march was suspended on Friday afternoon following a 'security lapse' as claimed by the Congress party. Rahul Gandhi had said that the police arrangement "completely collapsed" leading him to cancel his part of the foot march, as advised by his security personnel.
However, police have said the Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra was going on smoothly In J&K contrary to the claims of the party, adding that a three-tier protection was being given for the march to proceed smoothly.
ADGP Vijay Kumar said, "We're giving 3-tier protection, all security arrangements have been done. Bharat Jodo yatra is going on smoothly. Traffic has also been diverted, there won't be any problem. No security lapses happened yesterday, so many people did foot march."
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has also written to Home Minister Amit Shah seeking his intervention in ensuring adequate security for the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The march was in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday after following the 'security lapse'.
The Congress had alleged that the Jammu and Kashmir Police had withdrawn security around its leader Rahul Gandhi in the wake of surging crowds during the foot march in Qazigund.
Kharge apprised Amit Shah of the details of the Yatra over the next two days and requested him to personally intervene in the matter and ensure adequate security. He said he was writing to Shah after the 'unfortunate security lapse.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Gandhi started in Kanyakumari on September 7 and will culminate on January 30 in Srinagar after traversing through 12 states.
The 3500-km foot march is aimed at galvanising the Congress cadres across the country, but the party is claiming that the Yatra is not political and seeks to unite India in the wake of growing "hatred".