Anantnag: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Friday cancelled his walk during Bharat Jodo Yatra and got on a vehicle after his party alleged a security lapse after the march entered Kashmir valley’s Qazigund.
While the rest of the participants of the walkathon continued on foot, Gandhi only walked 4-5 kms out of the total 16 km scheduled for the day.
“This morning quite a large crowd had gathered and we were looking forward to walking on the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Unfortunately police arrangements completely collapsed. And the police who were supposed to manage the crowd and hold the ropes, were nowhere to be seen,” Gandhi said.
“My security people were very uncomfortable with me walking further. I had to cancel my walk but other yatris did the walk. I don’t know why this happened but tomorrow and day after, this should not happen,” the Congress MP said.
To ensure such a ‘lapse’ is not repeated, Jairam Ramesh said that Rahul Gandhi’s security team is in talks with the administration so that “we don’t have to face such a situation again”.
He added, “Till the end Rahul ji wanted to walk but his security advisors told him that he cannot walk any further and then he got into the car. It is the administration’s lapse, there is no second opinion of that.”
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir Omar Abdullah, who had joined Gandhi from Banihal in the march earlier in the day, remarked about the alleged breach.
He said that the outer ring of the cordon which was maintained by Jammu and Kashmir police “simply vanished” within minutes of Gandhi starting to walk.
I’m witness to this. The outer ring of the cordon which was maintained by J&K police simply vanished within minutes of @RahulGandhi starting to walk. We had just crossed in to Kashmir from Jammu & were looking forward to the 11 KM walk but unfortunately it had to be cancelled. https://t.co/H2DByCRYCi
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) January 27, 2023
Police say full security arrangements in place
Contradicting the Congress claims, Kashmir Police said that the Bharat Jodo Yatra’s organisers and managers “did not intimate” them about a large gathering joining from Banihal. It also said that the police weren’t consulted before taking any decision on discontinuation of the march after conducting 1 km of the yatra.
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. (1/3)
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) January 27, 2023
The ‘failure’ comes days after Jairam Ramesh in a press conference Sunday said that Rahul Gandhi’s security is of utmost importance.
“He had been pushed into a car by security forces. Preparations were made for 5,000 people and 20,000 people turned up,” Rajni Patil AICC incharge of Jammu and Kashmir told ThePrint.
Congress leaders were quick to attack the administration over the ‘security lapse’.
State incharge for Bharat Jodo Yatra G A Mir called it an attempt to “sabotage” the yatra. He said that security was discussed in multiple meetings including in meetings that took place Thursday.
Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra is in the Kashmir valley next two days, before a mega rally in Srinagar on 30 January where leaders of other opposition parties are expected to join.
Also read: Omar Abdullah joins Bharat Jodo Yatra, twinning with Rahul Gandhi in white T-shirt