The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra on Saturday resumed from Awantipora where former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and her daughter Iltija Mufti joined the march.

Besides, Priyanka Gandhi walked alongside the former Congress president amidst tight security arrangements before the Yatra stopped for a break at Lethpora. The Yatra was scheduled to halt at Panthachowk for the night. Thereafter, the Yatra would resume on Sunday morning from Pantha Chowk and will culminate near Nehru Park on Boulevard Road in the heart of the city.

On Monday, Gandhi will unfurl the tricolour at JKPCC headquarters at M.A. Road here, following which a public rally at SK Stadium is scheduled to be held for which 23 political parties have been invited.

Former chief ministers including Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah on Saturday said that Rahul Gandhi's ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra has received a massive response from the people across south Kashmir.

"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. Was a great experience to walk with him," the PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said.

Similarly, National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah, who also joined the Yatra on Friday, said that the talking heads are largely silent and the channels don’t really want to talk about it but you don’t have to be visually challenged to see the Bharat Joda Yatra has got a very good response from Kashmiris. "Young and old, men and women, have been lining the road and marching for unity," Omar said.

He said that the most glaring silence has been from those “Kashmir experts” who waste no opportunity to paint Kashmiris as anti-national, communal, and intolerant. The public participation flies in the face of this propaganda and that explains the total radio silence, he added.

Meanwhile, ADGP Vijay Kumar said, "We're giving three-tier protection, all security arrangements have been done. Bharat Jodo Yatra is going on smoothly".

The ADGP added that traffic has also been diverted and there won't be any problem. "No security lapses happened yesterday, so many people did foot march," he maintained.

Restoration of statehood, conduct of elections utmost need in J&K: Jairam Ramesh

Member of Parliament and General Secretary Incharge Communication, AICC, Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said that restoration of full statehood and conduct of Assembly elections is the utmost need in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The Bharat Jodo Yatra is not about the alliance between the political parties. It has nothing to do with the elections and other big issues," Ramesh said while addressing a press conference in Srinagar.

Providing details about the Yatra, he said it will cover 4080 kilometers in 136 days and will end on January 30. "From Tamil Nadu to J&K, the Yatra has gone through 75 districts so far. Out of 136 days, Yatris walked 116 days so far," he said.

He also expressed satisfaction over elaborate security arrangements and stated that after yesterday’s incident at Qazigund, there were better security arrangements in place today.

Political parties commanded by BJP didn't join Bharat Jodo Yatra: JKPCC chief

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief, Vikar Rasool Wani on Saturday alleged that many political parties bossed and commanded by the ruling BJP party didn't join Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra in J&K.

"Few political parties are being controlled by the ruling party, which is why they didn't participate in the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra in J&K," JKPCC chief Vikar Rasool Wani said while replying to a query during a press conference in Srinagar.

He said several political parties including NC, PDP, CPI(M), BSP, JDU, Shiv Sena, and others expressed their consent and joined the Yatra, however, there were few which are being controlled by the ruling regime and they didn't join the Yatra.

The JKPCC chief said since the Yatra entered the Kashmir Valley, thousands of people came onto roads and walked shoulder to shoulder with their leader Rahul Gandhi. He said even the government was not expecting such a massive crowd at the rally.

On security arrangements, he expressed satisfaction over elaborate security arrangements by authorities and stated that preventive measures were in place that put impediments to hassle-free entry of people into the Yatra.

He also said a large number of youth participated in the Yatra. "From Tamil Nadu to J&K, people from all walks of life showed their interest, especially youth, despite weather vagaries," he said.

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ANANTNAG — Congress leader and Member Parliament Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the Jammu and Kashmir administration of a big security lapse at Jawahar Tunnel, stating that police were missing to control the crowd that had come to his reception.

“When we crossed from Navyug Tunnel at Qazigund, there was a huge crowd for my reception. But there was not a single policeman to manage or control the crowd. My security guards advised me not to go ahead,” Rahul said while addressing a press conference at Khanabal, Anantnag, as per the news agency KNO. “It is very difficult for me to go against what my security guards advise me.”

He said that he was hopeful that security arrangements would be elaborate for his future programs that include his culmination rally at Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) office in Srinagar where he is supposed to unfurl the tricolour on January 30 and address a mega rally at Indoor Stadium Srinagar.

He said that the Bharat Jodo Yatra will continue and will conclude in Srinagar as per schedule.

Speaking on the occasion, senior Congress leader Jai Ram Ramesh said that Rahul was supposed to walk 16 km today but he could walk only 4 km due to a breach of security. He said that the administration must ensure proper security for the Bharat Jodo Yatra in the days ahead, especially when it reaches Srinagar.

He said due to the wrong policies of BJP and RSS, India as a nation is falling apart and the Yatra is an effort to bring the folks together. Ramesh said that BJY has nothing to do with electoral politics as of now. “We keep on stating that there are two ways: one that of BJP and RSS and another that of Congress which is the Gandhian way."

Meanwhile, several Congress leaders have also alleged security lapses in Banihal and Qazigund during Bharat Jodo Yatra on Friday.

"J&K UT administration failed to provide security to Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi. Security lapses indicate an unfair and unprepared attitude of UT administration," tweeted Rajani Patil, Congress in-charge of J&K and Ladakh.

"The sudden withdrawal of security personnel from the D-area has caused a serious security breach at the Bharat Jodo Yatra at Banihal, Kashmir. Who ordered this? The authorities responsible must answer for this lapse and take appropriate steps to prevent such incidents in future," tweeted another Congress leader K C Venugopal.

"J&K UT administration failed to provide security to Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Shri Rahul Gandhi. Security lapses indicate unfair and unprepared attitude of UT administration," J&K Congress tweeted.

Notably, the Yatra resumed after two days from Banihal, the hometown of the JKPCC president where hundreds of people were present to welcome Congress leaders. He was joined by former CM of J&K and NC Vice Omar Abdullah in Banihal.

Omar while reacting to the security lapse said that he witnessed the outer layer of security vanished suddenly.

"I’m witness to this. The outer ring of the cordon which was maintained by J&K Police simply vanished within minutes of Rahul Gandhi starting to walk. We had just crossed into Kashmir from Jammu and were looking forward to the 11 km walk but unfortunately, it had to be cancelled,” he tweeted.

Rahul was welcomed by several party leaders including former JKPCC president G A Mir at the entrance of the tunnel from Qazigund side along with hundreds of workers. He was joined by PDP leaders and workers led by PDP spokesperson Suhail Bhukhari as well.

J&K Police denies security lapse

Jammu and Kashmir Police said there was no security lapse at all in the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

In a statement issued on Friday, a police spokesman said the police were not consulted before taking any decision on discontinuing the Yatra after conducting a 1 km Yatra by the organizers. Police also said only authorized persons as identified by organizers and frisked crowd was allowed inside towards the route of the 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,” it said. It further said full security arrangements were in place including 15 Coys of CAPFs and 10 Coys of JKP, comprising ROPs and QRTs, route domination, lateral deployment, and security forces were deployed for high-ridge and other deployments.

“J&K Police was not consulted before taking any decision on discontinuation of Yatra after conducting 1 km Yatra by organizers. The rest of the Yatra continued peacefully. There was no security lapse at all. We will provide fool-proof security,” the police said.

Bharat Jodo Yatra to resume from Chersoo Awantipora

The Bharat Jodo Yatra is set to resume from Chersoo Awantipora in south Kashmir's Pulwama district and conclude at Pantha chowk tomorrow (Saturday).

JKPCC President Waqar Rasool, while talking to reporters at Anantnag, said that on Saturday, Yatra will resume from Nimbal Chersoo near the Petrol Pump.

He said that tomorrow, a maximum number of womenfolk will join the Yatra and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti will also join the march. “Our leader Priyanka Gandhi is also expected to join the Yatra tomorrow from Awantipora to Pantha chowk,” he said.

He said that near Birla School Pampore, there will be a tea break and a night halt will be at Pantha Chowk truck yard from where Yatra will resume the next day. The Yatra will resume from Pantha Chowk on January 29 and will end at Nehru Park Srinagar.

Other leaders including former JKPCC President G A Mir, on the occasion, condemned the security lapse in Qazigund area. They said that despite assurances from government authorities over the last 20 days that they will facilitate everything, they changed everything and it was very disastrous in the last 24 hours.

“We have already lost Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi and couldn't take risks and had to save our leader before everything and we are highly condemning the security lapse,” they said.

They added that till the last stage, Rahul wanted to continue his Yatra at Qazigund but when his security recommended against foot March, he decided to leave the spot.

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SRINAGAR — Former Congress MLA Muhammad Amin Bhat on Friday said that he has resigned from the party.

Talking to the news agency KNO, Bhat, who represented Devsar in the last Assembly of the erstwhile State of J&K, said that he has resigned from the party. “I welcome the resignation of Azad sahib from Congress. I have also resigned from the party,” he said.

Meanwhile, sources disclosed that a few top leaders of the J&K Congress, who were against the appointment of former minister Vikar Rasool Wani as JKPCC chief, are camping in New Delhi.

“They are waiting to meet Rahul Gandhi to convey their displeasure over the appointment of Vikar Rasool,” they said.

Sources also disclosed that former MLA Inderwal GM Saroori is presently at the residence of Ghulam Nabi Azad in New Delhi. “A few J&K Congress leaders may also resign tomorrow,” they said.

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SRINAGAR — All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Tuesday appointed former minister Vikar Rasool Wani as the new president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC).

According to the news agency KNO, Vikar Rasool Wani has been appointed as the new JKPCC chief while Raman Bhalla has been appointed as the party’s working president.

The announcement was made after the AICC accepted the resignation of Ghulam Ahmad Mir, who tendered his resignation on July 6, 2022, after serving as JKPCC chief for eight years.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse