New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that the police arrangement "completely collapsed" amid the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu-Kashmir leading to him cancelling his part of the foot march, as advised by his security personnel.
"This morning we had quite a large crowd that gathered. Unfortunately, the police arrangement completely collapsed and police people who were supposed to manage the crowd were nowhere to be seen. My security people were very uncomfortable with me walking further on the yatra so I had to cancel my yatra. The other yatris did the walk," he said, addressing a press conference briefly.
"I think it's important that the Police manage the crowd so that we can do the yatra. It's very difficult for me to go against what my security people are recommending," the former Congress president added.
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Rahul said it is the administration's responsibility to ensure that police do their duty and control the crowd. "I don't know why this happened, but this should not happen tomorrow and the day after," he added.
The remarks came shortly after the Congress party alleged that there was a serious security lapse amid the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra today at Jammu and Kashmir's Quazigund as party leader KC Venugopal said that for 15 minutes, "there have been no security officers" with the Yatra.
"Security has been mishandled by concerned agencies here. For the last 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't walk without any security," news agency ANI quoted him as saying.
The party's communications in charge, Jairam Ramesh, elaborated on the issue at the press conference and said: "Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to walk for 16 km, but he could only walk for 4 km. The rest of the yatris completed the Yatra." "What happened today was very unfortunate. The administration and Rahul Gandhi's security team are in talks so that this does not happen tomorrow and the day after," he added.
In a tweet announcing the presser, Jairam Ramesh mentioned that the "serious lapse" in Rahul Gandhi's security took place at Quazigund "which forced him to change his plans at the very last minute".
From Banihal, the yatra was slated to enter the Kashmir valley through Qazigund to reach Anantnag district's Khanabal area where it will stay for the night.
Omar Abdullah Joins Bharat Jodo Yatra
This comes after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumed his Bharat Jodo Yatra from Jammu and Kashmir's Banihal on Friday en route to the Valley. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah also joined Gandhi at Banihal.
Donning a white T-shirt like Gandhi, Abdullah walked with the Congress leader along with hundreds of Congress party supporters.
"The Bharat Jodo Yatra is not aimed at improving the image of Rahul Gandhi but for improving the situation in the country," the NC leader told reporters upon his arrival in this highway town of Banihal, 120 km from Srinagar, as quoted by news agency PTI.
Abdullah said that he joined the yatra as he was more concerned about the image of the country.
"We have not joined this for the image of an individual but for the image of the county," he added.
The former chief minister stressed that Rahul Gandhi did not start the yatra for personal reasons but due to his concern over the alleged attempts to create communal tensions and target minorities in the country.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed after a day's break on Thursday due to Republic Day. The foot march started from Kanyakumari on September 7 and entered Jammu and Kashmir via Punjab.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra march will culminate with Rahul Gandhi unfurling the national flag at party headquarters in Srinagar and addressing a grand rally at the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium on January 30.