Bharat Jodo Yatra begins Jammu & Kashmir leg

Sanjay Raut, PVC awardee Bana Singh join march

Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Param Vir Chakra awardee Capt (retd) Bana Singh were among those who joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the Bharat Jodo Yatra which began its Jammu and Kashmir leg from this border district Thursday.

As it was raining in the morning, Mr. Gandhi donned a black raincoat over his now trademark white T-shirt for the yatra but removed it with some improvement in the weather after walking for over the first two hours from Hatli Morh towards Chadwal, a 21-km stretch along the Jammu-Pathankot highway which was virtually sealed as part of the stringent security arrangements.

The march, which started from Kanyakumari on September 7, entered Jammu and Kashmir from Punjab on Thursday evening and is scheduled to end in Srinagar on January 30.

The first day of the march in Jammu and Kashmir was scheduled to start at 7 am but could begin only after 7.45 am in view of inclement weather, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh told reporters at the end of the first day of the yatra.

"Today is the 126th day of the yatra which crossed different states and finally reached J&K where it will spend the last 10 days. Today, we covered 21 km under the leadership of Gandhi," Mr. Ramesh, flanked by senior Congress leaders including former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh, said.

He said after a day break on Saturday, the yatra will resume on Sunday from Hiranagar in Kathua and will reach Jammu on January 23. It will have another break on January 26 (Republic Day) before commencing in Kashmir valley. Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Vikar Rasool Wani and his predecessor G A Mir also accompanied Gandhi during the over five-hour long march.

Mr. Raut said he has come to join the yatra on behalf of his party.