Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Congress, has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ask him to help make sure Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir has enough security. Kharge wrote the letter after the Yatra was stopped on Friday, supposedly because of a security problem.
Kharge tweeted on Saturday a copy of his letter to Shah, which said, “Bharat Jodo Yatra was stopped yesterday because of a security breach. Rahul Gandhi’s security team suggested this. At the end, we expect a big gathering that will include leaders of major political parties.”
Security lapse during #BharatJodoYatra led to its suspension yesterday, after Sh @RahulGandhi’s security detail suggested same.
We are expecting a huge gathering, including leaders of imp political parties at its culmination.
My letter to @HMOIndia,Sh @AmitShah in this regard — pic.twitter.com/jjASG8C5LR
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) January 28, 2023
Kharge also said that the party appreciates the Jammu and Kashmir police and “welcomes their statement that they will continue to ensure full security until the end of the Yatra.”
Kharge said, “We are expecting a huge crowd to join the Yatra over the next two days and also at the function on January 30 in Srinagar. Many senior leaders of the Congress and leaders of other major political parties will be at the event on Monday.
Kharge added, “I would be grateful if you could personally get involved in this situation and tell the right people to make sure there is enough security until the end of the Yatra and the ceremony on January 30 in Srinagar.”
On Saturday, Rahul started his march again from Awantipora in J&K. Before going to Srinagar’s Pantha Chowk, the Yatra will stop near the Birla Open Minds International School in Pampore.
After entering Kashmir on Friday, Rahul could only walk about a kilometre before the race was called off for the day. An alleged security breach was said to be the cause. The Congress said that the police didn’t keep Rahul and others safe enough, but the officers said that wasn’t true. They said that the leaders of the party had stopped the Yatra without talking to the police. The last stop of the Yatra will be in Srinagar on January 30.
After the event, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that the security breach was caused by Jammu and Kashmir L-G Manoj Sinha. When talking to the news agency ANI, Chowdhury said that the L-Gs of Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir were the only ones in charge of security there. He said, “Manoj Sinha, who is sitting in Srinagar, will have to explain who was behind Rahul’s march.”
