Electric field is negative gradient of potential.Potential along equatorial line in a dipole is zero but feild exist there.why?

Potentail is zero, but the change is not zero in the direction parallel to dipole so we have electric field along that direction. Potential gradient along axial is not zero and hence we have field on the equatorial line but in axial direction

Thanks & Regards
Aziz Alma
IIT Roorkee
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