Picture : Twitter/ ANI
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has cancelled his walk as part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra for the day after it entered Kashmir Valley, with the party alleging a security lapse and claiming the police arrangements by the Union territory administration “completely collapsed”.
Gandhi, who began his yatra from Banihal in Jammu region, crossed the Jawahar Tunnel into the valley in Qazigund in a bulletproof vehicle. While the yatra got a rousing reception on this side of the tunnel, the security forces found it difficult to control and manage the crowd of hundreds of party supporters.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police rejected the Congress charge and said there was no security lapse at the Bharat Jodo Yatra and that the organisers had not informed the police about a large crowd joining the march from Banihal.
Later quoted by ANI Rahul Gandhi said, Yes, we will. It will continue: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in Anantnag, J&K, when asked if he will continue his padayatra and Bharat Jodo Yatra in wake of security lapses by the J&K administration as alleged by his party.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted, “Lapse in Rahul Gandhi’s security detail in Jammu & Kashmir during Bharat Jodo Yatra is disconcerting to say the least…India has already lost two PMs and scores of leaders & we demand better security for the Yatris”
Lapse in Shri @RahulGandhi’s security detail in Jammu & Kashmir during #BharatJodoYatra is disconcerting to say the least.
It is GOI’s prime responsibility to provide security.
India has already lost two PM’s and scores of leaders & we demand better security for the Yatris.
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) January 27, 2023
In Delhi, security is provided by Delhi LG & in J&K, by J&K LG. You can understand whose words LGs at both locations follow. Manoj Sinha is in Srinagar, he will have to answer said Congress leader In Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told ANI
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Police dismissed the allegations levelled by Rahul Gandhi of security lapse in the Bharat Jodo Yatra which entered the Valley on Friday.
“The government is acutely mindful of the security concerns and all arrangements have been made to ensure the best possible security for the ongoing Bharat Jodo yatra,” RK Goyal, Additional Chief Secy (FC), Home Dept J-K, on Rahul Gandhi’s security breach.
“The size of the crowd was larger than planned which led to the pressure on the available security resources & created the impression that security arrangements were not in place. However, 15 companies of paramilitary forces & 10 companies of J-K police were deployed,” he added.
This comes after Rahul Gandhi alleged that the police personnel who were supposed to manage the crowd during the Yatra “were nowhere to be seen”.
“This morning during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, unfortunately, the police arrangement completely collapsed and the police who were supposed to manage the crowd was nowhere to be seen. My security people were very uncomfortable with me walking further on the yatra so I had to cancel my walk. Other yatris did the walk,” Rahul Gandhi said addressing a press conference in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag.
Dismissing the allegations, Kashmir Zone Police said that only authorized persons who were identified by organisers were allowed on the route of the yatra.
The police said that the organizers of the yatra did not inform about the large gathering from Banihal.
“Only authorised persons as identified by organisers & frisked crowd was allowed inside towards the route of Yatra. Organisers & managers of BJY did not intimate about large gathering from Banihal joining the Yatra, which thronged near the starting point,” Kashmir Zone Police tweeted.
The police said that full security arrangements were in place.
