Kharge writes to Shah on ‘security issues’ faced by Rahul Gandhi in Assam during Congress Yatra

PTI, Jan 24, 2024, 9:27 AM IST

Hours after after Congress leaders were booked for ”wanton acts of violence” by the Assam Police, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah on “security issues” faced by party leader Rahul Gandhi during the Assam leg of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

In a letter, Kharge called on Shah to ensure Gandhi’s safety during the Yatra. The Assam police on Tuesday registered a case against Gandhi and other Congress leaders for instigating a crowd to launch an attack on Guwahati police. Earlier in the day, the state police didn’t allow the Gandhi-led Yatra to enter the city, triggering protests from irate Congress workers who removed security barricades on the outskirts of the city. In his letter to the Union home minister, Kharge said there have been several instances where the Assam Police “has been found wanting in providing adequate security that Rahul Gandhi who is entitled to as a Z+ security” since the Yatra entered the state on January 18. He listed out such incidents in Sibsagar district, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur and Nagaon.

Kharge said on the first day of the Yatra in the state, Assam Police was found protecting the posters of the BJP in Amguri, Sibsagar district instead of ensuring safe passage for the Yatra. The next day, “miscreants associated with the BJP” were caught defacing and taking down posters and hoardings of the Yatra in Lakhimpur district, he said.

Later, when the Yatra returned from Arunachal Pradesh, there was “another outrageous attack” on the Yatra in Sonitpur district, where the local Superintendent of Police happens to be the brother of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Kharge said.

”He watched to see that BJP workers attacked and manhandled the Indian National Congress Social Media team, along with our General Secretary, Shri. Jairam Ramesh. Shri Ramesh’s car was attacked, while miscreants shouting anti-BJNY (Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra) slogans, tearing off the BJNY sticker on the vehicle, and attempting to throw water on the passengers inside,” the Congress chief said.

”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,” he said.

On January 22, in Nagaon district, BJP workers blocked Gandhi’s convoy, coming extremely close to him, and creating an extremely unsafe situation, Kharge alleged.

”In all of the troubling events mentioned above, the Assam Police has systematically stood by and/or allowed BJP workers to come closer and closer to the convoy of Shri. Rahul Gandhi, breaching his security cordon, and endangering his physical security and that of his team,” Kharge said.

The Congress chief said none of the miscreants have been arrested even when there was ample evidence for all listed incidents, and added that in many instances investigation has not been initiated.

”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,” he said in his letter to Shah.

Sharing Kharge’s letter, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X, ”Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge ji wrote to the Union Home Minister last night on the serious security issues faced by @RahulGandhi and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Assam over the past few days”.