Actor Poonam Kaur Clarifies Why RaGa Held her Hand in Bharat Jodo Yatra, Slams ‘Demeaning’ Remark

Joined by a film personality and some students of the Osmania University, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumed his pan-India Bharat Jodo Yatra from Dharmapur in Mahabubnagar town in Telangana on Saturday.

As the day progressed, pictures of Rahul Gandhi holding actor Poonam Kaur’s hands while walking went viral on social media. Kaur soon took to Twitter to shut down “derogatory” comments from prominent politicians.

“This is absolutely demeaning of you, remember Prime Minister spoke about narishakti,” the actor tweeted in reply to BJP’s Priti Gandhi’s tweet, which had the photo of Rahul Gandhi holding Poonam Kaur’s hand and the caption, “Following the footsteps of his great grandfather!!”.

Replying to some more tweets, Kaur said that Rahul Gandhi was holding her hand after she slipped and almost fell.

Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi defended the “footsteps” of the “grandfather” as she tweeted, “If you mean, it leads to women walking shoulder to shoulder with men&hand in hand to strengthen & take the nation forward, then not just Pandit Nehru’s vision of India but also Babasaheb Ambedkar’s & the freedom fighters’ dream of equal India will be realised. Sit down please.”

Congress MP Jothimani said BJP’s Priti Gandhi is a victim of an ideology which can drive women to this low. “Rahul Gandhi is precisely walking against the same RSS ideology to save people like you from deep-rooted hatred. Pls come and walk for a day with us. You will feel better,” Jothimani tweeted.

Kaur wrote, “His concern, respect and protective nature towards women is something which touched my heart. I with the weavers’ team heartfully thank Rahul Gandhi ji for hearing the weavers’ issues.”

Addressing a gathering in Mahabubnagar district as part of his Bharat Jodo Yatra at Jadcherla, Gandhi said if Congress comes to power in Telangana, whatever GST being paid by the weavers on handloom products will be reimbursed.

“Today in India, there are the highest number of unemployed people compared to the last 35 years. Also, India has the world’s richest people. Whatever they (rich people) want, they can do. Here, the chief minister (K Chandrasekhar Rao) and there (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi fully support them. These are not political parties but businesses,” Gandhi said.

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