Rahul Gandhi was momentarily taken aback after a man broke through security to hug and kiss him on the shoulder during the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar.
The incident unfolded as the Congress leader rode a motorcycle through Purnea district, accompanied by hundreds of bikers including Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav. The individual, clad in dark trousers and a shirt, ran towards Gandhi despite the surrounding crowd.
Security personnel swiftly intervened, pushing the man aside as Gandhi continued his ride unfazed. The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha had briefly stopped his bike, but the situation was quickly contained. Purnea Superintendent of Police Sweety Sehrawat informed that the Close Protection Team handled the incident and would track the individual for further action if needed.
After completing his Purnea visit, Gandhi proceeded to Araria, his final stop of the day on the 1,300-kilometre yatra that began on August 17 from Sasaram. The 16-day journey, covering more than 20 districts, is a protest against the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, and will conclude in Patna on September 1.
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At a joint press conference in Araria alongside Tejashwi Yadav and other leaders of the INDIA bloc, Gandhi criticised the Election Commission of India and the BJP over the SIR exercise.
“In Bihar, SIR is an institutionalised way for vote theft,” Gandhi said, asserting that “lakhs of voters' names” had been removed. He added that while the Opposition had lodged complaints, the BJP had not raised concerns “because there is a partnership between ECI, the election commissioner and the BJP.”
The yatra, also intended to mobilise voters, has seen Gandhi interacting closely with crowds, highlighting electoral concerns across the state.
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