New Delhi: After the Congress penned a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah with concerns over Rahul Gandhi's security during the Bharat Jodo Yatra on Wednesday, both the CRPF and the BJP have taken a dig at Rahul claiming that he himself has violated protocols. Here are the latest developments so far in the whole fiasco.
- The BJP on Thursday criticized Congress over its allegation of a security breach of Rahul Gandhi during Bharat Jodo Yatra saying such charges were made just to catch eyeballs and make it to the news. BJP Party Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia, while speaking to the media, said that the CPRF provided proper security to Rahul Gandhi despite the 'violation of protocol by protectee himself'.
- Congress' letter to Amit Shah demanding to 'keep Rahul safe' as it complained of incompetent security during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in New Delhi backfired when the CRPF on Thursday claimed that Rahul himself has violated the protocols at several instances. "Security arrangements made for the protectee work fine when the protectee himself adheres to the laid down security guidelines," the govt officials said.
- The authority claimed that the Congress leader has been involved in a total of 113 security breach instances since 2020, and has been notified about it time and again, but to no avail. "Violations of laid down guidelines on the part of Rahul Gandhi have been observed and this fact has been communicated to him from time to time," the CRPF authorities said a day after the complaint was sent to Home Minister Amit Shah.
- Security arrangements were "fully made" for Rahul Gandhi in accordance with laid down guidelines but he himself "violated" the security protocols, the government officials added. It further specified that the CRPF, which provides the inner cordon of the Z-plus category security provided to Gandhi, will be taking up this matter separately.
- In the letter written to the Home Minister on Wednesday by the general secretary K C Venugopal, it was alleged that there have been multiple instances of security breaches during the Yatra in the national capital and demanded immediate steps to ensure the security of Gandhi and others taking part in the march.
- Asserting that the Congress has lost its leaders and former prime ministers -- Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi -- the letter further said, "The government should not indulge in vindictive politics and ensure the safety and security of the Congress leaders".
- Further citing instances of "miscreants" entering the yatra camp site illegally, Venugopal had alleged that they were Haryana's intelligence security personnel, who interrogated people who took part in the yatra. "The security of the yatra was compromised on multiple occasions following its entry into Delhi on Saturday. Delhi Police completely failed to control the surging crowds and maintain a perimeter around Rahul Gandhi, who has "Z+ Security", he alleged.
- The situation was so severe that Congress workers and 'Bharat yatris' walking with Rahul Gandhi had to form a security perimeter, he said and claimed that "Delhi Police remained mute spectators". Venugopal also sought improved security for the yatra as it is set to enter the sensitive states of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. The Kanyakumari to Kashmir yatra will resume on January 3, 2023, after taking a nine-day break in Delhi.
- Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole meanwhile on Thursday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Union government led by it should stop targeting members of the Gandhi family when it comes to their security. Talking to reporters, Patole said, "Does Prime Minister Narendra Modi follows security protocol? During the (recently-held) Gujarat elections and public meetings held elsewhere in the country, he meets people. So will they reduce the PM's security cover in view of this?" the Congress leader asked.
- The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7. It is presently taking a nine-day winter break as it reached the national capital on December 24 and will restart on January 3.
