After skipping Tricolor hoisting event, Omar & Mehbooba rejoin Bharat Jodo Yatra

After giving a miss to Tricolor hoisting event of Rahul Gandhi led Bharat Jodo Yatra in Lal Chowk Srinagar on Sunday, two former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir – Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti – Monday rejoined the yatra finale for a show of Opposition unity.

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba in her brief address to the foot marchers of the yatra said the whole country is seeing a ray of hope in Rahul.

“Rahul, you said you have come to Kashmir-your home. It’s your home. I hope what the Godse ideology snatched from Jammu and Kashmir and from this nation, Gandhi will restore it. Gandhi ji said he can see a ray of hope in J&K. Today, the nation can see a ray of hope in Rahul Gandhi,” she said at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium, here, the venue of the final show of the rally.

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The NC leader Omar while congratulating Rahul said the yatra has been successful. “On this last function of the yatra, I congratulate Rahul on behalf of myself, my father and my party. This yatra has shown that there are people in the country who like the BJP but there are also those who like the other idea which is of brotherhood,” he said.

The former CM of J&K requested the Congress leader to undertake a similar yatra from west to east of the country and said he would like to walk with him.

Both Omar and Mehbooba had walked alongwith Rahul after the yatra entered the Kashmir valley on January 27. However, on Sunday both the leaders were conspicuously absent during Tricolour hoisting ceremony at Clock Tower near Lal Chowk, here. The absence of Omar and Mhebooba had raised many eyebrows.

BJP’s J&K unit General Secretary, Ashok Koul while commenting on Omar and Mehbooba’s absence during unfurling of the national flag, reiterated that the party’s focus was on addressing ‘anti-national’ activities.