Accusing the Jammu and Kashmir administration of “a serious security breach” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Friday decided to suspend his Bharat Jodo Yatra as the march entered the Valley in the afternoon.
“When we crossed Jawahar Tunnel, there was a huge crowd for my reception. But there was not a single policeman to manage or control the crowd. My security guards advised me not to go ahead,” he said at a hurriedly called press conference at Khanabal in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Rahul was to walk 16 kms in Kashmir on Friday but had to stop after about four kms. Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah, the leader of the National Conference, was with him.
“It is very difficult for me to go against what my security guards advise me,” the Congress leader said and added he was hopeful that security arrangements would be elaborate for his future programs that include his culmination rally in Srinagar where he is scheduled to unfurl the tri-colour on January 30 and address a rally.
Congress leader Rajni Patil tweeted that the administration “failed to provide security to the Bharat Jodo Yatra” and that the security lapses indicated “unfair and unprepared attitude of the Union Territory (UT) administration.”
Another senior Congress leader Jai Ram Ramesh said that Rahul was supposed to walk 16 kms today but he could walk only 4 kms due to breach of security. “Administration must ensure proper security for the Bharat Jodo Yatra in the days ahead especially when it reaches Srinagar,” he demanded
Ramesh alleged that due to the wrong policies of BJP and RSS, India as a nation was falling apart and the yatra was an effort to bring the folks together. He said that yatra has nothing to do with election politics as of now.
“We keep on stating that there are two ways: one that of BJP and RSS and another that of Congress which is the Gandhian way,” Ramesh added.
However, J&K police refuted Congress allegations saying only authorised persons as identified by organisers and frisked crowd were allowed inside towards the route of Yatra.
“Organisers & managers of BJY did not intimate about large gathering from Banihal joining the Yatra, which thronged near the starting point. 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,” J&K police tweeted.
The police also claimed that it was not consulted before taking any decision on the discontinuation of the march after conducting a one km yatra by organizers. “Rest of yatra continued #peacefully. There was no security lapse at all. We will provide foolproof security,” it added.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari on September 7, will end on January 30 in Srinagar after covering 12 states and two UTs.