J-K: Congress alleges 'security lapse' in Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra

Rajani Patil, the Congresswoman in charge of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, claimed on Friday that there were security issues during the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congressman Rahul Gandhi and that the management of the Union Territory had failed to control the crowd.

"J&K UT Administration failed to provide security to #BharatJodoYatra led by Shri @RahulGandhi. Security lapses indicate unfair & unprepared attitude of UT administration. @OfficeOfLGJandK," Rajani Patil made the statement and included a photo taken there in a tweet. General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), KC Venugopal, described the absence of security personnel from the Bharat Jodo Yatra for 15 minutes as a "serious lapse."'.

"The security has been mishandled by concerned agencies here. For 15 mins, there have been no security officers with the Bharat Jodo Yatra here. This is a serious lapse. Rahul Gandhi and other yatris can not walk without security," Venugopal told media.

The final leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi, began on Friday morning from the National Highway-44, Banihal Railway station, in the J-K's Ramban district. Following the recent twin blasts on January 22 that struck a busy neighbourhood in Narwal and left at least nine people injured, security was increased in the area.

READ | Delhi University student’s outfit calls for screening of BBC documentary on PM Modi

The Bharat Jodo Yatra will end on January 30 in Srinagar after travelling 3,970 km through 12 states and two union territories. It began in Kanyakumari on September 7. The security breach allegedly committed by Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi has come to light.

On January 17, a security lapse occurred at the Bharat Jodo Yatra when an unidentified man attempted to hug Rahul Gandhi in Tanda, Punjab's Hoshiarpur district. Gandhi later referred to him as "excited" and claimed that it was the enthusiasm of the citizens. Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, was written a letter by the Congress on January 4 accusing "security breaches" in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which arrived Delhi on December 24.

In a letter to the government, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal claimed that the Delhi Police had behaved like "mute spectators" and had failed miserably to contain the crowd's growth and maintain a perimeter around Rahul Gandhi, who is protected by Z+ Security.

(With inputs from ANI)