The march led by Rahul Gandhi, an opposition leader and scion of the influential Gandhi family, sought to challenge what the Congress party says is a “hate-filled” version of the country under the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party.
Members of different opposition parties, including Kashmiri regional groups that oppose Modi’s policies but are pro-India, joined Gandhi’s rally in Srinagar in snow and bitter cold.
Hundreds of police and paramilitary soldiers blanketed Srinagar’s Lalchowk area and restricted public movement, allowing only people with passes issued by the Congress party to enter the venue.