Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday claimed that "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans were raised during Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra and said that he has ordered an probe into the incident.
"'Pakistan Zinabad' slogans were openly raised in the Bharat Jodo yatra. It's shameful, I've given orders to probe the incident. Divisive forces are brought into yatra," CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.
Earlier that day, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders alleged participants in Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra shouted slogans of 'Pakistan Zindabad' in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh.
A controversy erupted after BJP state president VD Sharma and other party leaders posted a purported video of the yatra on social media claiming that 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans were raised at the rally.
However, Congress Party denied the claims, calling it a conspiracy by the BJP to defame Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi led Bharat Jodo entered Madhya Pradesh on its 77th day of the Padyatra on Wednesday.
Bharat Jodo Yatra, which began on September 7 from Kanyakumari, will cover a further distance of 2,355 km in its 3,570-km march. It will end in Kashmir next year. It is the longest march on foot by any Indian politician in the history of India, the Congress claimed earlier in a statement. Bharat Jodo Yatra is getting support from various political parties and social organizations across the country and the response is increasing day by day.
Notably, all the party MPs, leaders and workers, along with Rahul Gandhi, are staying in containers. Sleeping beds, toilets and ACs are also installed in some of the containers. The arrangements have been made keeping in view the intense heat and humidity with the change of places. The Congress suffered a debacle in the assembly polls held earlier this year and the Yatra is seen as an attempt to rally the party rank and file for the upcoming electoral battles.
( With inputs from ANI )
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