Rahul Gandhi breached security norms 113 times: CRPF

Full arrangements of security were made for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who on “several occasions” violated guidelines, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has said, people familiar with the development said on Thursday.

The remark came a day after Congress general secretary KC Venugopal wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah, alleging multiple breaches in the security of Rahul Gandhi during the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra’s Delhi leg on December 24.

Responding to the letter, CRPF — which provides Z-plus category security cover to Gandhi — has written to Venugopal, saying “the security arrangements have been fully made for Rahul Gandhi as per the guidelines”, an officer at the Centre said, asking not to be named.

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The central force said that security arrangements made for a protectee work well when the person concerned adheres to the guidelines.

“However, on several occasions, violations of laid down guidelines on the part of Rahul Gandhi have been observed and this fact has been communicated to him from time to time,” the officer said, quoting from the CRPF’s letter to Venugopal. The paramilitary force has listed a total of 113 security protocol violations by Gandhi since 2020 and said they have been “duly communicated to him”, the officer added.

CRPF has been providing Z-plus security cover to the former Congress president and his family since 2019, when their Special Protection Group (SPG) cover ended.

The official further said that during the Delhi leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi violated security guidelines and CRPF, which provides his inner cordon of the Z-plus category security, will be taking up this matter separately.

During the travel of the protectee, the required security arrangements are made by CRPF in coordination with the state police and security agencies. Advisories based on threat assessment are issued by the ministry of home affairs to all stakeholders concerned, including the state governments.

Before the yatra entered Delhi on December 24, an Advance Security Liaison (ASL) was carried out in coordination with all stakeholders on December 22 during which all security protocols were followed, a second officer said.

CRPF conveyed that “the Delhi Police informed that sufficient deployment of security personnel was made for it”, the second officer added.

In his letter to home minister Shah on Wednesday, Venugopal said that “the government should not indulge in vindictive politics and ensure the safety and security of the Congress leaders”.

Citing instances of miscreants entering the yatra camp site illegally, Venugopal alleged that they were Haryana’s intelligence security personnel, who interrogated people who took part in the Congress leader’s foot march.

Also read: Bharat Jodo Yatra: Congress writes to Shah over security breaches

“The security of the yatra was compromised on multiple occasions following its entry into Delhi on Saturday. Delhi Police completely failed to control the surging crowds and maintain a perimeter around Rahul Gandhi, who has Z+ Security,” Venugopal alleged.

The situation was so severe that Congress workers and those walking with the Wayanad MP had to form a security perimeter, he said, alleging that the “Delhi Police remained mute spectators”.

Venugopal also sought improved security for the yatra as it is set to enter sensitive areas in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. The Kanyakumari-to-Kashmir yatra will resume on January 3, 2023, after a nine-day break in Delhi.