Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Jan 28: Mehbooba Mufti, the leader of the People Democratic Party (PDP), joined the Congressman Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra on Saturday after it was postponed on Friday from the Chersoo hamlet in Awantipora.
Ghulam Ahmad Mir, the head of the Jammu and Kashmir Congress, dismissed rumours that individuals were entering the yatra from the opposite side of the tunnel.
“Yesterday, thousands of people wanted to join the yatra and somehow there was mismanagement. It was also said that people from another side of the tunnel came. It’s baseless, the tunnel is 9 km long,” while talking to ANI, he said.
“With the VVIP speed with which Rahul Gandhi came to this side, nobody could have followed him that quickly. They were locals from South Kashmir, from the Dooru constituency and were there out of love,” he added.
On January 29, the Yatra will pick up again at Pantha Chowk and go up Boulevard Road to Nehru Park. There will be a news conference where Rahul Gandhi will speak.
After entering Kashmir Valley on Friday, Rahul Gandhi was forced to call off his walk because, according to the party, there was a security failure and the police arrangements made by the administration of the Union territory “totally disintegrated.”
The Gandhi scion drove a bulletproof vehicle over the Jawahar Tunnel and into the valley in Qazigund on Friday after starting his yatra from Banihal in the Jammu area. The security personnel struggled to manage and contain the mob of hundreds of party fans while the yatra received a raucous welcome on this side of the tunnel. For the day, the yatra was cancelled.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police denied the Congress’ allegation that there had been a security breach at the Bharat Jodo Yatra and claimed that the organisers had failed to notify them of the arrival of a sizable gathering from Banihal. However, the Congress released a video that allegedly showed police officers leaving the scene.
