Congress writes to Shah over Bharat Jodo Yatra security breach
The Congress wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday, claiming multiple security breaches of the Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY), and called for proper safety for party leader Rahul Gandhi. In an official letter to the Home Minister, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal stated that the security of the march was compromised on numerous occasions after it entered Delhi on Saturday morning.
Why does this story matter?
Bharat Jodo Yatra is a new political movement by the party to retrieve its footing in India. However, it drew a lot of flack from some quarters, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), over issues like Gandhi skipping Parliament for BJY. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also criticized the march and urged Gandhi to follow COVID-19 protocols during the Yatra or cancel it.
Delhi Police completely failed in controlling the surging crowd: Congress
As per NDTV, the latter claims that Delhi Police had "completely failed in controlling the surging crowd and maintaining a perimeter around Shri Rahul Gandhi, who is assigned Z+ Security." It also added that the situation was so bad that the Bharat Yatris as well as the Congress workers had to create a security boundary while the Delhi Police reportedly remained "mute spectators."
BJY's goal is to bring peace and harmony: Venugopal
The letter mentioned above also talks about how every Indian citizen has a Constitutional right to travel throughout the country's territory. "Bharat Jodo Yatra is a Padyatra to bring peace and harmony to the country. The government should not indulge in vindictive politics and ensure the safety and security of the Congress leaders," it stated.
Congress demands tight security for Punjab, J&K march
Congress also demanded better safety arrangements for Gandhi and the march as the BJY heads to Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir next. "Moving forward, Bharat Jodo Yatra is slated to enter the sensitive state of Punjab and J&K in the next phase starting from January 3, 2022," the letter said. The party also claimed that the Intelligence Bureau has been questioning BJY participants.
Pawan Khera alleges conspiracy against Yatra
Speaking to the media, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera claimed a "conspiracy" to prevent the march. "Attempts are being made to defame the Yatra. Those who want to disrupt it are making attempts through their police, their media. They won't be successful," Khera stated.
Bharat Jodo Yatra so far
The BJY started in Kanyakumari on September 7 and has so far passed through states like Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi. It covered 23km in Delhi on Saturday, passing through Nizamuddin, ITO, Delhi Gate, Daryaganj, and India Gate. The BJY will next resume on January 3.
