A man rushed towards Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and tried to greet him with a hug during the Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur on Tuesday, but was stopped by Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.
The incident took place on a stretch between Jhingar Khurd, from where the Congress MP began the morning leg of the yatra, and Gaunspur. The man, wearing an orange hood, rushed towards Gandhi and tried to hug him, which took Gandhi by surprise. He was immediately pushed by Warring and subsequently by other Congress leaders.
Speaking about the incident, Rahul Gandhi
“Why are you calling it a lapse … Someone came to hug me. It’s not a lapse … It has happened many times before. There’s enthusiasm about the yatra… sometimes people are over-excited… I wouldn’t call it a security lapse,” he said during a press conference when the yatra halted.
Inspector General of Police G S Dhillon said Gandhi had himself called the man and there was no breach of security, reported PTI.
“I have verified it. Rahul ji himself called him (the man) and then he tried to hug him (the Congress
The Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed from Tanda in Hoshiarpur on Tuesday morning, amid biting cold conditions. The Yatra will halt for the night at Mukerian. The Yatra which began from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, will conclude in Srinagar on January 30, where Gandhi will hoist the national flag.
The Yatra was suspended for 24 hours on Saturday in view of Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary death, who passed away due to cardiac arrest during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.