Rahul can't meet common people surrounded by SPG: Congress to Rajnath

New Delhi [India], Aug 8 (ANI): The Congress party hit back at Home Minister Rajnath Singh for slamming party vice president Rahul Gandhi over breaching the Special Protection Group (SPG) instruction and said is not possible for the latter to take tight protection everywhere especially when he meets the common people.

"When he meet the common people it is not possible to take the SPG car every time. In a parliamentary democracy it is important to ensure security, which was not seen in Gujarat," Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge told ANI.

Kharge further accused the BJP of misleading the people by diverting issue of security concern in Gujarat to Rahul's foreign trips.

"We raised a different question and their reply was entirely different from that. Rather than condemning this incident they just motivated the one who carried out such activity in Gujarat, which is very disappointing. Such things should not happen," he added.

Addressing the Monsoon session of Lok Sabha, Rajnath argued that several police personnel were deployed for his safety, but the Congress frontrunner did not pay heed to the security arrangements made for him.

"Rahul did not listen to the area police or the SPG officials, but only to his personal secretary. A large number of security personnel were deployed on the day, but Rahul did not sit in the vehicle provided by the police," alleged Rajnath.

Rahul's convoy was attacked on Friday when he was on his way to the helipad after visiting the flood-hit areas in Gujarat's Dhanera. Following this, the police arrested one Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker, Jayesh Darji, on Saturday.

Re-iterating the same, Rajnath said the government is looking into the matter, and investigation is underway.

"Rahul should have followed security related suggestions," he further opined.

On August 4, stone were pelted at Rahul's convoy while he was returning after taking stock of the flood affected areas in Gujarat's Dhanera.

The Congress party had blamed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 'goons' for the attack following which the police arrested BJP worker, Jayesh Darji.

Rahul had also slammed the Centre and said, "Narendra Modi ji's slogans, black flags and stones will not stop us.... We will put in all our might into the service of people."(ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI