'He was a bit over-excited': Rahul Gandhi after man tries to hug him during Bharat Jodo Yatra

A man on Tuesday was seen rushing towards Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and trying to embrace him during Bharat Jodo Yatra in Punjab. He, however, was stopped and pushed away by Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and other party workers accompanying Gandhi.

New Delhi: After a man rushed towards Rahul Gandhi and tried to hug him during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Punjab on Tuesday (January 17, 2023), the Congress leader said that there was no security breach and that "he was a bit over-excited".

In a video, the man wearing a jacket could be seen rushing towards the Congress MP and trying to embrace him. He, however, was stopped and pushed away by Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and other party workers accompanying Gandhi. 

#WATCH | Punjab: A man tried to hug Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, during Bharat Jodo Yatra in Hoshiarpur, was later pulled away by workers.

(Source: Congress social media) pic.twitter.com/aybyojZ1ps — ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2023

"I do not know why you are calling that a (security) lapse. I think the person was checked by the security people, he was a bit over-excited," Rahul said.

"There is quite a lot of enthusiasm in the Yatra, many people get over-excited and that was the case where he was a bit extra charged up, so there is no problem in that. It has happened many a time before. I wouldn't call that a security lapse," he told reporters.

LIVE: Press briefing by Shri @RahulGandhi in Hoshiarpur, Punjab. #BharatJodoYatra https://t.co/THyi4iJHVX — Congress (@INCIndia) January 17, 2023

Inspector General of Police GS Dhillon also said that Gandhi had himself called the man and there was no security breach.

"I have verified it. Rahul ji himself called him (the man) and then he tried to hug him (the Congress MP). After that (Amrinder Singh) Raja warring pushed him away as the yatra moves with a certain speed and it affects its movement," Dhillon said, adding there was nothing to suggest that it was a security breach.

Warring also said there was no breach of security and that the man was an overenthusiastic supporter of Gandhi.

Meanwhile, the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, is scheduled to enter Himachal Pradesh from Punjab on Wednesday. 

LIVE: Flag handover ceremony at Ghatota, Himachal Pradesh & Padyatra resumes. #BharatJodoYatra https://t.co/HEc6ubwUuz — Congress (@INCIndia) January 18, 2023

It will conclude in Srinagar by January 30, with Gandhi hoisting the national flag in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.

It has so far covered Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Earlier on Saturday, the march was suspended for 24 hours in view of Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary death. The MP had suffered a cardiac arrest during the yatra.