Anantnag(J&K): On January 27, when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi came out of the Nav Yug Tunnel, connecting Jammu region with Kashmir, for the concluding Kashmir leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, a sea of people thronged the Jammu-Srinagar highway to welcome him.
While Rahul suspended the Yatra for the day in view of the "lapse" in his security, the warm reception by the people in the valley has lifted the spirits of the Congress leadership. As Rahul resumed the yatra on Saturday from Charsu Awantipora in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, people came out in large numbers to welcome Rahul on the way.
Huge crowds of people including women children and elderly people were seen everywhere joining Rahul along the Jammu-Srinagar highway. Among the people were elderly women from the south Kashmir district. Speaking to ETV Bharat, the women said that they had walked a long distance to see Rahul. They said that they were eager to catch a glimpse of Rahul, for which they have been waiting since morning. The women said that they have high hopes from Rahul.
Also read: Day after 'security lapse', Rahul Gandhi resumes Kashmir leg of Bharat Jodo Yatra
"He has the ability to take the valley out of of troubles," said a woman. The Congress had dedicated the Saturday leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra to womenfolk in Kashmir. The women said that they were "fed up with the present government" in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking over the issues confronting the valley, the elderly women said that ever since the BJP government came to power at the centre, the people of the valley have been grappling with problems "like oppression and abuse, inflation and unemployment".
"Now, the government is taking away their lands from the people. The process of making them homeless has been started by demolishing their houses," a women said while referring to the retrieval of state land under the ongoing "anti-encroachment drive" in Jammu and Kashmir.
The women said that they are suffering from mental torture "due to this cruelty". We hope that the yatra led by Rahul Gandhi will bring about a change in the political scenario of Jammu and Kashmir here and this yatra will be helpful to "re-establish the democratic system here", they said, and added, "we want peace, progress and prosperity in Kashmir and this Yatra bears that message".
Rahul Gandhi led Bharat Jodo Yatra left Pantha Chowk towards Srinagar on Sunday. He will unfurl the tricolor at the Congress office in at Lal Chowk on Monday, the concluding day of the yatra.
