Shardha Yatra accordedwarm welcome by PPCC

GHARAM Patiala, April 7: The Sarbansbani Dani Shardha Yatra, organised by the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee PPCC in celebration o...

GHARAM Patiala, April 7: The Sarbansbani Dani Shardha Yatra, organised by the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee PPCC in celebration of the Khalsa tercentenary, was accorded a warm welcome by Congressmen at Rohad village, near Devigarh, as it entered Punjab from Haryana late last night.

The Yatra, including several trucks, buses, cars and other vehicles, made its night halt at the dargah of Baba Bhikham Shah here.

Several senior PPCC leaders, including vice-president Lal Singh, addressed a congregation before the Yatra started from here for Patiala. Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh was not present at Gharam, though his wife, Praneet Kaur, was.

The Yatra was being led by the quot;panj piarasquot; and following them were two specially-made trucks carrying historic weapons, used by the Sikh Gurus, made available by the former royal families of Patiala, Bagrian and Nabha. The flower-bedecked trucks had glass panelled bodies to help devotees have a closer look at the weapons.

Prominent among others present at Bhundrheri to receive the Yatra were former PPCC chief Harcharan Singh Hero and former minister Tej Parkash Singh. The response to the Yatra in the countryside was, however, lukewarm though the Block Congress units had set up welcome gates and arranged refreshments for the participants.

Patiala District Urban Congress chief Ved Parkash Gupta received the Yatra as it entered Patiala. The city had been tastefully decorated and 32 reception points with welcome arches set up. Buntings had been put up in the entire route of the Yatra through the city and langar was arranged at different points.

Gupta said that he on behalf of the Patiala District Urban Congress had presented siropas to the former Maharaja of Nabha, Hanumant Singh, and the former Maharaja of Patiala, Capt Amarinder Singh. Amarinder received the Yatra at the historic Quila Mubarik and the Yatra stopped at various welcome points where people threw flower petals at the trucks carrying the historic weapons.

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At the Sheranwala Gate, the Yatra was received among others by PPCC organising secretary Sanjeev Garg, PPCC member Vishnu Sharma and DCC Urban general secretary Ajay Thapar.

Hardial Singh, president of the Patiala District Rural Congress Committee, received the Yatra at the PRTC workshop on the Patiala-Nabha road in the afternoon. Later, it left for Nabha on its way to Mehraj, near Rampura Phul, where it would halt for the night.