Rahul Gandhi claims 'complete collapse' of security during Yatra, J-K police deny

The Bharat Jodo Yatra leg in Anantnag was canceled today due to the complete collapse of the police security arrangement here, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a press conference on Friday. The J-K police have however denied any such claims.

Banihal (J&K):Addressing a press conference in Anantnag on Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said he canceled his Yatra march for the day as the police arrangement 'completely collapsed' during the Bharat Jodo Yatra leg in Jammu and Kashmir. The police, on the other hand, denied the claims, as a senior Jammu and Kashmir police official said that the organizers had not informed the police about a large crowd joining the march from Banihal.

"The Jammu and Kashmir police were not consulted before the Bharat Jodo Yatra was discontinued. We will provide foolproof security (to the yatra)," Additional Director General of Police Vijay Kumar, who is in charge of security in Kashmir Valley, said in a statement. He further said that only authorized persons as identified by organizers and the frisked crowd were allowed inside towards the route of the yatra.

Organizers and managers of the BJY did not intimate about large gatherings from Banihal joining the yatra, Kumar said. Crowds, he said, were thronging Qazigund. "Full security arrangements were in place... JK Police was not consulted before taking any decision on discontinuation of the yatra," he added. "The rest of the yatra continued peacefully. There was no security lapse at all," Kumar said in the statement.

On the contrary, Rahul Gandhi had earlier claimed that the police personnel who were supposed to manage the crowd were nowhere to be seen. "My security people were very uncomfortable with me walking further on yatra so I had to cancel my yatra. Other yatris did the walk anyway," Rahul Gandhi said while addressing the conference here.

"I think it's important that the Police manage the crowd so that we can do the yatra. It's very difficult for me to go against what my security people are recommending," he added, stating that it's the Jammu and Kashmir administration's responsibility to provide security.

"I hope security will now be ensured for the remaining days of the yatra," Gandhi, who started his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kanyakumari in September and ends it in Srinagar on January 30, said. His party colleague Jairam Ramesh added that Gandhi's security team is holding discussions with the Jammu and Kashmir administration to ensure that everything goes off smoothly for the next few days.

Earlier in the day, Congress National General Secretary KC Venugopal took to Twitter to express his disappointment over the matter. "The sudden withdrawal of security personnel from the D-area has caused a serious security breach at the #BharatJodoYatra at Banihal, Kashmir. Who ordered this? The authorities responsible must answer for this lapse & take appropriate steps to prevent such incidents in future," Venugoapal's tweet this morning reads.

Venugopal also spoke to the media regarding the same in Jammu and Kashmir's Banihal. "Congress leaders say that security has been mishandled by concerned agencies here. For the last 15 minutes, there have been no security officers to ensure security for the Bharat Jodo Yatra here. This is a serious lapse and Rahul Gandhi & other yatris can't walk without any security," said KC Venugopal.