The Congress on Friday “temporarily” suspended the Bharat Jodo Yatra after an alleged serious breach of security during the final leg of the Rahul Gandhi-led march near Qazigund, along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. Rahul was escorted to safety by his security personnel in a four-wheeler.
The Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) Police, however, denied these allegations claiming there was no security lapse and added that they would “provide foolproof security to the yatra.”
Early on Friday morning the yatra resumed from Banihal after a day’s break in connection with the 74th Republic day celebrations.
“J&K UT administration failed to provide security to Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi. Security lapses indicate the unfair & unprepared attitude of UT administration,” Rajani Patil, Congress in-charge of J&K and Ladakh, tweeted soon after the yatra was suspended.
Rahul was accorded a warm welcome by the former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah in Banihal in the presence of thousands of cheerful party workers and local residents.
As both the leaders were walking along with several others, some of the overenthusiastic residents breached the outer security cordon and tried to come close and meet Rahul after which the yatra was suspended. In the absence of an outer security cordon and adequate security personnel, Rahul was advised by his security staff to avoid marching further.
Initially, Rahul was keen to continue the march, but his security officers escorted him to safety in a four wheeler to prevent any mishap.
Later, Rahul arrived at the Dak Bungalow, Khanabal in South Kashmir district of Anantnag and made a brief statement. He told reporters, “I had to cancel my walk for the day because police arrangements unfortunately completely collapsed.”
“Police personnel who were supposed to manage the crowd were nowhere to be seen,” the former Congress president told reporters during the special briefing.
“It’s the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s responsibility to provide security… I hope security will now be ensured for the remaining days of the yatra,” Rahul, who started his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kanyakumari in September with a plan to end it in Srinagar on January 30, said.
“I had to call off my walk because I can’t go against my security people,” the Congress leader said.
Former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in a separate tweet corroborated the Congress’ version. “I’m witness to this. The outer ring of the cordon which was maintained by J&K Police simply vanished within minutes of Rahul Gandhi starting to walk. We had just crossed into Kashmir from Jammu and were looking forward to the 11 KM walk but unfortunately it had to be cancelled,” he tweeted.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh added that Rahul’s security team is holding discussions with the J&K administration to ensure that everything goes off smoothly for the next few days.
As the Congress party leaders launched a massive campaign the social media handle of the J&K Police, Kashmir zone posted a series of tweets claiming, “JKP was not consulted before taking any decision on discontinuation of Yatra after conducting a 1 km yatra by organisers. Rest of the yatra continued peacefully. There was no security lapse at all. We will provide foolproof security”.
The police said, “Only authorised persons as identified by organisers & frisked crowd were allowed inside towards the route of Yatra. Organisers & managers of BJY did not intimate about the large gathering from Banihal joining the Yatra, which thronged the starting point”.
Referring to the security arrangement, J&K Police tweeted, “Full security arrangements were in place including 15 Coys of CAPFs and 10 Coys of JKP, comprising of ROPs and QRTs, route domination, lateral deployment and SFs were deployed for high-ridge and other deployments”.
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, Addl Chief Secy (FC), Home Dept J&K, said on Rahul’s security breach.
