The Congress on Wednesday wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah alleging security breaches in its Bharat Jodo Yatra and sought immediate steps to ensure the safety of party leader Rahul Gandhi.
In a letter to the home minister, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said security was compromised on multiple occasions as Gandhi and his Bharat Jodo Yatra entourage entered Delhi on December 24.
The Delhi Police, which comes under the Union home ministry, “completely failed” to control the surging crowd and maintain a perimeter around Gandhi, the letter stated.
The situation was so bad that Congress workers and those walking along with Gandhi had to form a security cordon, it added. As this was happening, the Delhi Police remained “mute spectators”, Venugopal alleged.
In its letter, the Congress also alleged that the Intelligence Bureau has been interrogating those who took part in the march.
“Moreover, we filed an FIR [first information report] dated 23rd December, 2022, at Sohna city police station, Haryana, regarding unknown miscreants, belonging to Haryana State Intelligence, illegally entering Bharat Jodo Yatra’s containers,” the letter said.
Venugopal told Shah that every citizen has a Constitutional right to move throughout Indian territory.
“Bharat Jodo Yatra is a padyatra [foot march] to bring peace and harmony to the country,” he added. “The government should not indulge in vindictive politics and ensure the safety and security of the Congress leaders.”
Citing the assassination of two former Congress Prime Ministers – Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi – Venugopal sought better security for the Bharat Jodo Yatra and Rahul Gandhi once the march is on its final leg to Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.
J&K regional leaders to join march
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah will join Rahul Gandhi in his march in the final leg, The Indian Express reported.
“This is one of the happiest moments for all of us,” Venugopal told reporters in Srinagar on Tuesday. “And not just here, everywhere, all like-minded people who do not believe in the divisive politics of the BJP and the Union government are joining this yatra.”
However, top Opposition leaders of Uttar Pradesh are going to skip the march, citing prior engagements, according to The Indian Express.
The Congress had invited Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Rashtriya Lok Dal president Jayant Chaudhary to join the yatra.
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