IOA invites Rahul Gandhi for Olympic torch relay

New Delhi, Apr 9 (UNI) The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has invited Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to participate in the Indian leg of the Olympic torch relay scheduled to be held here on April 17.

IOA President Suresh Kalmadi said the decision to invite political personalities has been taken on an urgent request of the organisers.

''They want people from all walks of life to take part in the relay including the sportsmen and people from various walks of life. So, we have invited few young MPs including Rahul Gandhi, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jiten Prasad and Sachin Pilot,'' Kalmadi told NDTV.

Recently, Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia pulled out of the run with the torch, expressing his solidarity with the pro-Tibetan activists whereas Indian star Sachin Tendulkar has given a nod to be part of the run.

Meanwhile, Kalmadi assured that the relay, which had seen worldwide protest, will be peaceful in India.

''The torch relay is a matter of pride and we would ensure that no untoward incident takes place. Everything has been planned and there would be adequate security measures,'' he added.

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