Braving winter rains, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi started his Bharat Jodo Yatra from Hatli Morh in this border district of Jammu and Kashmir on January 20 with several prominent leaders, including Shiv Sena (UBT's) Sanjay Raut also joining the foot march. 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 January 20. 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 January 20.
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 January 20.
The march, which started from Kanyakumari on September 7, entered Jammu and Kashmir through Lakhanpur from Punjab on the evening of January 19 and is scheduled to end in Srinagar on January 30.
As dusk fell and temperatures dipped, hundreds of people walked alongside the former Congress president. In a customary handover function, Punjab's Congress unit gave the party flag to a leader from the Jammu and Kashmir unit on January 19.
The flag handover ceremony was attended by a galaxy of prominent leaders including National Conference president Farooq Abdullah. Several Congress leaders, including the party's Jammu and Kashmir unit president Vikar Rasool Wani and his predecessor G A Mir, accompanied Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Many Congress activists and supporters carrying tricolours turned up a couple of hours before the start of the yatra which will cover 25 km before halting at Chadwal in the Kathua district for the night. There will be no march on January 21. Youngsters carrying placards and garlands were seen waiting at different places along the Jammu-Pathankot National highway where the yatra is scheduled to pass.
(With inputs from agencies)