Highlighting various “security issues” faced by Rahul Gandhi during the Assam leg of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (BJNY), Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene and ensure that no untoward incident took place that may lead to “grave personal injury” towards Mr. Gandhi and other members of BJNY.
Mr. Kharge’s letter, written on Tuesday night and shared on social media platform X on Wednesday, came on a day when the Assam Police registered a case against Mr. Gandhi and other members of his team for trying to change the designated route of the yatra and forcibly trying to enter Guwahati city, permission for which was denied by the State government.
Mentioning several instances of security breaches in his letter, Mr. Kharge alleged that the Assam Police had been found wanting in providing adequate security to Mr. Gandhi, who is entitled to Z+ security.
Also read: Congress urges Assam Governor for judicial inquiry into attacks during yatra
In India, a person under Z+ protection is given the highest level of security with a team of 55 armed personnel.
Listing out the incidents, the Congress chief alleged that the Assam Police was found protecting the posters of the BJP in Amguri, Sibsagar district on the first day instead of ensuring safe passage for the BJNY; “miscreants associated with the BJP” were caught defacing and taking down posters and hoardings of the BJNY in Lakhimpur district the following day; and when the yatra returned from Arunachal Pradesh, there was “another outrageous attack” on senior leader Jairam Ramesh’s car in Sonitpur district, where the Superintendent of Police is the brother of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma,
“On the same day in Sonitpur district, the BJP’s district party workers approached and blocked Shri. Rahul Gandhi’s convoy. The BJP’s workers then physically assaulted the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Shri. Bhupen Borah, resulting in him bleeding profusely,” Mr. Kharge said in his letter.
In Nagaon district, BJP workers blocked Mr. Gandhi’s convoy, “came extremely close to him and created an extremely unsafe situation”, Mr. Kharge added.
“As the risk increases, and as the Yatra proceeds as planned, we request your intervention to ensure that the Chief Minister of Assam and the Director General of Police, Assam ensure that no such untoward incident takes place which may lead to grave personal injury to Shri. Rahul Gandhi or any members of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra,” Mr. Kharge said in the letter to Mr. Shah.
Published - January 24, 2024 10:42 am IST
