Bharat Jodo Yatra: Kharge seeks Amit Shah's intervention for adequate security

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Home Minister Amit Shah seeking his intervention in ensuring adequate security to the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir.

His letter to Shah comes after the Bharat Jodo Yatra was suspended for the afternoon session on Friday (January 27) following a “security lapse”, with the Congress alleging that the J and K Police had withdrawn security around its leader Rahul Gandhi in the wake of surging crowds during the foot march in Qazigund.

Kharge’s letter to Amit Shah

“We are expecting a huge gathering to join the yatra over the next two days and also the function that will be held on 30th January at Srinagar. Many senior Congress leaders and leaders of other important political parties are attending the culmination function to be held on the 30th of January. I shall be grateful if you could personally intervene in this matter and advise the concerned officials to provide adequate security till the culmination of the yatra and the function on the 30th January at Srinagar,” the Congress president said in his letter to the home minister.

Also read: Bharat Jodo Yatra: Rahul calls off walk for the day after ‘total security collapse’

He said he was writing after the unfortunate security lapse during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
On the advice of the security officials in charge of the security detail of Rahul Gandhi, the Yatra had to be suspended, Kharge said.

“We appreciate the Jammu and Kashmir Police and welcome their statement saying they will continue to ensure complete security till the culmination of the journey,” he said.

‘People joining the yatra spontaneously’

However, the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha also said, “You will appreciate the fact that a large crowd of common people has joined and walked in the Bharat Jodo Yatra every day. It is difficult for the organizers to tell exactly how many people are expected over the day as it is a spontaneous gesture of the common people to join the yatra.”

Also read: Omar Abdullah joins Bharat Jodo Yatra from Banihal

The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi started in Kanyakumari on September 7 last year and will culminate on January 30 in Srinagar after traversing through 12 states.
The 3500-km foot march is aimed at galvanising the Congress cadres across the country, but the party is claiming that the Yatra is not political and seeks to unite India in the wake of growing “hatred”.

(With Agency inputs)