Hyderabad: Rahul Gandhi's interactions with the public during the Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra continue to get attention — the latest being his helping two women who got injured while on the march as part of his procession in Telangana.
One of them had fainted briefly after feeling dizzy, possibly from walking in a tight crowd, while the other had tripped.
In a video of the incident, Mr Gandhi is seen helping one of them stand back up. He asks others to get aside for her to be able to get some air; then gets water for her and also fetches her slippers, going on to comfort her with a hug.
Another woman complains of an injury on the head, at which he checks it for her and is seen asking fellow marchers to help her. She hugs him in gratitude.
Earlier today, actor-filmmaker Pooja Bhatt joined the Kanyakumari-to-Kashmir 'Unite India March' in Hyderabad, walking with Rahul Gandhi for over 10 kilometres.
Rahul Gandhi and filmmaker Pooja Bhatt during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Hyderabad.
Daughter of veteran director Mahesh Bhatt, she is the first noted Bollywood celebrity to have joined the march. Rahul Gandhi has said it's not just a Congress event but an invitation to "everyone who wants to fight communal forces", pointing towards the ruling BJP and its parent body RSS.
The Yatra — 3,570 km over 150 days — covers 20-25 km a day.
Rahul Gandhi with some people celebrating a religious festival in Hyderabad.
Since the start in September, it has been through Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, and is currently in Telangana, scheduled to enter Maharashtra next.