Bharat Jodo Yatra: Rahul arrives in K'taka, Siddaramaiah violates forest rules

Chamarajanagar (Karnataka), Sep 30 (IANS) Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi entered Karnataka on Friday amid a warm welcome by Siddaramaiah and his supporters, who in the process violated forest rules.

Siddaramaiah and his supporters had gathered in the Tiger Reserve Forest near Kekkanahalli at the Karnataka border. The forest department had denied permission for the padayatra in the reserve forest and had given permission to travel by car only.

But Siddaramaiah stopped his vehicle and welcomed Rahul Gandhi in the Tiger Reserve Forest along with former ministers and senior Congress leaders Mahadevappa, K.J. George and others.

Rahul Gandhi will participate in a convention organised at Gundlupet town before the launch of the 21-day Bharat Jodo Yatra through Karnataka. The party has arranged lunch for 30,000 party workers in the Veeranapura village.

Rahul Gandhi will walk for four kilometers after the convention on the National Highway before halting for lunch. He will interact with Adivasis and families of victims who died due to lack of oxygen in Chamarajanagar district hospital during Covid-19 pandemic.

The padayatra will resume at 4 p.m. near Bendakalli Gate, and at 7 p.m. the first day's yatra will end at Begur village.