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

The Congress chief said there have been several instances where Assam Police has been found wanting in providing security to Rahul, who is a Z+ level protectee.

New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has shot off a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah pointing fingers at the BJP-led Assam government for not initiating investigations and arresting "miscreants" who created trouble during Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the state.

In his letter on Tuesday, Kharge said there have been several instances where the Assam Police has been found wanting in providing adequate security to Rahul, who is a Z+ level protectee.

Rahul's Manipur to Mumbai Yatra, which started from Khongjom in Manipur's Thoubal on January 14, was in Assam for the last day on Tuesday before entering West Bengal.

The letter came against the backdrop of Assam Police registering cases against Congress leaders, including Rahul, on charges of instigating a crowd to launch an attack on Assam Police.

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

Citing some instances on January 18, 19, 21 and 22, he said, "despite all of the instances...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." Kharge had sought more security for Rahul during his stay in Assam and had asked Shah to direct Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswas Sarma to do so.

On January 18 when Rahul entered Assam, he alleged 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 saw “miscreants associated with the BJP were caught defacing and taking down posters and hoardings" of the yatra in Lakhimpur district.

When the yatra returned to Assam from Arunachal Pradesh, he said there was “another outrageous attack” in Sonitpur district, where the local Superintendent of Police happens to be the brother of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who "watched to see that BJP workers attacked and manhandled the Congress Social Media team, along with our General Secretary Jairam Ramesh" whose car was attacked, while miscreants shouting anti-yatra slogans, tearing off the stickers on the vehicle, and attempting to throw water on the passengers inside.

"On the same day in Sonitpur district, the BJP's district party workers approached and blocked Rahul Gandhi's convoy. The BJP's workers then physically assaulted the Assam...Congress....president Bhupen Borah, resulting in him bleeding profusely," he said. On January 22 in Nagaon district, he alleged BJP workers blocked Gandhi's convoy, coming extremely close to him, and creating an extremely unsafe situation, Kharge alleged