Rahul's walk halted at Banihal, Congress said - Security is not available to go to the Valley
As soon as the issue of lapse in security came to the fore, Rahul Gandhi left the yatra midway and left for Khannabal.
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For the time being, Bharat Jodo Yatra has been stopped at Banihal in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir. The Congress alleges that the Yatra is not getting adequate security to go to the Valley. Leaving Rahul Gandhi Yatra, Khannabal has left for Anantnag.
Congress in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir Rajni Patil said in a tweet that the administration failed to provide security to the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The lapse in security reflects the inappropriate attitude of the UT administration. Congress leaders said that the security of Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir is not being strengthened.
Adequate security arrangements were also not made on entering the valley beyond Banihal. Rahul Gandhi cannot be allowed to enter Kashmir like this. As soon as the issue of lapse in security came to the fore, Rahul Gandhi left the yatra midway and left for Khannabal.
Rahul Gandhi's padyatra started at 9 am on Friday from Banihal in Ramban district. The stop of the journey today was Anantnag. So far 90 kilometers of padyatra has been done in Jammu and Kashmir.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah participated in the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Banihal on Friday. He said that the ongoing yatra under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi is not being taken out to build the image of the Congress leader, but to change the situation and atmosphere of the country. The NC leader said Rahul did not undertake the yatra for personal reasons, but because of concern over attempts to create communal tension in the country and target minorities. The central government may be befriending Arab countries, but the truth is that the country's largest minority community has no representative in it.
The former chief minister said he did not want to fall into the Congress's stand on revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah, who reached Banihal, 120 km from Srinagar, said he joined the yatra because he was more concerned about the country's image. We are not involved in this for any individual but for the image of the country.
This is the first time since independence that the ruling party does not have a single Member of Parliament from the Muslim community either in the Lok Sabha or in the Rajya Sabha. It shows his attitude. Speaking on Congress' stand on abrogation of Article 370, Abdullah said that we will fight the case for restoration of Article 370 in the court. This has been the longest period between two elections in Jammu and Kashmir. This was not the case even at the height of militancy. The central government wants the people of Jammu and Kashmir to beg for elections. They said that we are not beggars and we will not beg for this.