Jaipur, Dec 22 (IANS): In view of the alarming spike in the number of Covid cases and deaths in China, Rajasthan BJP had on Thursday afternoon postponed its 'Jan Aakrosh Yatra' in the state. However, the party changed its stand hours later and said that the Yatra will continue.

Rajasthan BJP President Satish Poonia had tweeted at 3.04 p.m.: "Corona is again spreading its wings in the world. In such a situation, we have stopped the 'Jan Aakrosh Yatra' for the time being. In the future, again under the new strategy, BJP will go among the people and raise their voice against the misrule of the Congress government. At present, due to the instructions of the Central government, we have postponed the Yatra."

At 5.38 p.m., Poonia again tweeted: "At present, no guidelines have been issued by the Centre or the state government regarding Corona. In such a situation, there was some confusion regarding the postponement of the Yatra. For the time being, it has been decided not to postpone the Yatra. Our 'Jan Aakrosh Yatra' will continue. However, the Corona protocols will be taken care of at the meetings to be held during the Yatra. At the same time, the journey will not be postponed until a guideline is issued by the Centre or the state."

Earlier in the afternoon, BJP's Rjasthan in-charge Arun Singh had told the media in Delhi about postponing the 'Jan Aakrosh Yatra'. Leader of the opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, Gulabchand Kataria, had also told the party workers not to gather in large numbers as he cautioned them against the virus.

It may noted that citing concerns after a spike in cases in China, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had written to Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday, requesting the Congress leader to suspend his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', which was passing through Rajasthan, "in the national interest" if protocols could not be followed.

Ever since, Congress leaders in the state have been raising questions over BJP's 'Jan Aakrosh Yatra' in Rajasthan.

BJP President J.P. Nadda had kicked off the 'Jan Aakrosh Yatra' at a public meeting in Jaipur on December 1. On December 3, the state BJP started the campaign by sending 51 chariots to 200 Assembly constituencies in the state.