Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge joined the Yatra in Assam on Sunday.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday over the alleged security lapses during party leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Assam. Expressing his deep concerns, Kharge highlighted a series of incidents to assert that the Assam Police has been found “wanting in providing adequate security” to the Yatra participants, including Gandhi, who is entitled to a Z+ security.
The Congress president alleged that Assam Police prioritised protecting BJP posters instead of ensuring a safe passage for the Yatra.
Highlighting the Sonitpur incident, he further alleged that the BJP workers assaulted the Congress’ social media team and party general secretary Jairam Ramesh’s vehicle.
Ramesh on Sunday shared a video of the alleged attack and said that BJP cadres under the influence of Himanta Biswa Sarma did it.
Kharge also mentioned the January 21 incident in which Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah sustained injuries after a group of people allegedly attacked the party’s outreach programme in Nagaon district.
The Congress president, who joined the Yatra on Sunday, claimed that the Assam Police “systematically allowed” BJP workers to breach Rahul Gandhi’s security cordon and expressed disappointment over the lack of arrests and investigations into the reported incidents.
“Despite all of the instances listed above, and the presence of ample evidence available in the public domain, none of the miscreants have been arrested and in many instances investigation has not been initiated,” the letter read.
“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 added.
The Assam Police, meanwhile, sum motu registered an FIR against Gandhi and other leaders for “wanton acts of violence” on Tuesday, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The alleged acts of violence took place while the party supporters and leaders broke barricades and clashed with police personnel in their bid to enter Guwahati, allegedly deviating from the approved route.
