New Delhi: The Congress party has dashed off a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah alleging “significant security breaches” during the Bharat Jodo Yatra last week in Delhi and accused Delhi Police of “failing” to maintain a perimeter around Rahul Gandhi, who is leading the foot march, according to reports.
While the Delhi Police reports to the Union home minister, Rahul Gandhi is Z plus category protectee. The Congress blamed Delhi Police of remaining “mute spectators” when the safety of Gandhi was “compromised on multiple occasions”.
Writing on behalf of the party, Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal urged Union home ministry to take “immediate steps” to ensure the safety of Rahul Gandhi.
“As Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Delhi, on 24th December 2022, the security of the Bharat Jodo Yatra was compromised on multiple occasions, and the Delhi police completely failed in controlling the surging crowd and maintaining a perimeter around Shri Rahul Gandhi, who is assigned Z+ Security. The situation was so severe that the Congress workers and the Bharat Yatris walking along with Shri Rahul Gandhi had to form the perimeter. At the same time, the Delhi police remained as mute spectators,” Venugopal said in his letter.
The party also accused the Intelligence Bureau of “interrogating” participants, including eminent personalities, who want to join the Bharat Jodo Yatra in order to “harass” and “prevent” them from taking part in the Yatra. A police complaint was filed in this regard at Haryana’s Sohna City Police Station on December 23, the letter added.
During its Haryana leg of the yatra, the party claimed that intelligence operatives belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Haryana government had “illegally” entered one of the camp sites of the yatra when it was passing through the state.
“According to Article 19 of the constitution, every citizen has a constitutional right to assemble and move freely throughout the territory of India. Bharat Jodo Yatra is a padyatra to bring peace and harmony to the country. The government should not indulge in vindictive politics and ensure the safety and security of the Congress leaders,” added Venugopal.
To drive home the point, the Congress’ letter referred to assassinations of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi alongside a Maoist attack on the Congress’ state leadership in Chhattisgarh in 2013 during which 29 people were killed.
The party sought better security for the Yatra and Rahul Gandhi as it enters Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir in the coming days. “Moving forward, Bharat Jodo Yatra is slated to enter the sensitive state of Punjab and J&K in the next phase starting from January 3, 2022. In this regard, I request you to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of Shri Rahul Gandhi, a Z+ protectee, and of all the Bharat Yatris and leaders joining the Bharat Jodo Yatra,” Venugopal said.
On the other hand, Congress’ spokesperson Pawan Khera alleged that a “conspiracy” is being hatched to stop the Yatra. “Attempts are being made to defame the Yatra. Those who want to disrupt it are making attempts through their police, their media. They won’t be successful,” said Khera, according to NDTV.
The Congress party’s allegations of security breaches in the Bharat Jodo Yatra comes close on the heels of Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya’s letter to Rahul Gandhi urging him to ensure COVID-appropriate behaviour in the Yatra or suspend the Yatra in the “national interest”. The letter drew fierce criticism from the Congress, which accused the Narendra Modi government and the BJP of making strenuous efforts to stop the Yatra.