Hyderabad: Rahul gets rousing welcome as 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' enters city

Hyderabad: A rousing welcome was accorded to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday at Aramgarh Crossroads on his way to the morning break at Legacy Palace in Bahadurpura. Enthusiastic party leaders, activists and several thousand supporters lined up to greet Rahul and to join him in 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. Rahul said he was glad to see the response to his 'yatra', on its 55th day, in Hyderabad.

The yatra, from Shamshabad to Necklace Road, commenced from Matha Temple Shamshabad via Aramgarh, Bahadurpura, Hussaini Alam, Charminar, Moazzam Jahi Market, Nampally,Tank Bund, Necklace Road to Bowenpally.

It was indeed a spectacular sight when Hussaini Alam,Laad Bazaar, Charminar areas were swarming with people in the yatra amid sea of tricolours. Telangana PCC chief A Revanth Reddy, along with others, marched carrying the flag and accompanied Rahul.

Security was tight. The MP refused to speak to the media. Only those having passes were allowed close to him in the tent at Legacy Palace, where he took rest for the noon.

Around 4 pm the yatra resumed; it moved like a festive procession with all trappings of a massive jatara, with an exclusive band leading it. Over 300 police personnel drawn from various parts of the city provided a wall-like shield on both sides. Large banners and festoons dotted the six-km route from Legacy Palace via Puranapul to Charminar.

As soon as Rahul reached Charminar from Laad Bazaar Road, he looked at the edifice and captured its beauty in his camera before moving forward. He hoisted the national flag, where his father the late Rajiv Gandhi started the Sadbhavana Yatra on October 19, 1990. Rahul paid floral tribute to his father's photograph on the stage. The area echoed with slogan 'nafrat-chodo, bharat-jodo'.

At Charminar, Rahul was welcomed with cheers, drumbeats, whistles, which reverberated in the air, and traditional music and drums, including Bonalu and Hyderabadi Marfa. The yatris were seen shaking a leg with the Potharaju and on traditional Marfa. Charminar was surrounded by the yatris. Along with them several thousand supporters gathered and marched with Rahul.

There was a sea of people and tricolour flags, as the Charminar-Pathergatti stretch was jam packed. It was a spectacular sight from MJ Market to Nampally. It was beyond expectations. The huge turnout of people who came to see thousands thronging both sides of the road as yatris were passing.

At 7 pm the yatra reached Indira Gandhi statue at Necklace Road where a corner meeting was held. Newly elected AICC president Mapanna Mallikarjun Kharge also joined him. Later, the yatris left for a night halt at Gandhi Ideology Centre in Bowenpally.

The yatra was launched on September 7 from Kanyakumari. It will cover 12 States and two Union territories before concluding in Srinagar after about 150 days.