On Friday, Jammu and Kashmir refuted the accusations of security lapses at Bharat Jodo Yatra made today by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at a press conference. In a series of tweets, Kashmir Zone Police said that adequate security has been provided for the yatra, and accordingly people were searched before allowing to join the yatra.
Only authorised persons as identified by organisers & frisked crowd was allowed inside towards the route of Yatra. Organisers & managers of BJY did not intimate about large gathering from Banihal joining the Yatra, which thronged near the starting point. (1/3)
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) January 27, 2023
#JKP was not consulted before taking any decision on discontinuation of Yatra after conducting 1 km yatra by organizers. Rest of yatra continued #peacefully. There was no security lapse at all. We will provide foolproof security. (3/3)@JmuKmrPolice
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) January 27, 2023
The police said that only authorised persons as identified by organisers and frisked crowd were allowed on the route of Yatra. They said that the organisers didn’t inform them that a large crowd will be joining the Bharat Jodo Yatra at Banihal, which caused major chaos and blocked the route, and forced Rahul Gandhi to withdraw from the walk.
Senior police officer Vijay Kumar denied any security lapse. “The organisers did not inform us about a large crowd joining the march from Banihal. The police were not consulted before the Bharat Jodo Yatra was discontinued. We will provide foolproof security,” Mr Kumar stated.
Jammu and Kashmir Police added that full security arrangements were in place for the yatra, including 15 companies of CAPFs and 10 Coys of Jammu and Kashmir Police, comprising of ROPs and QRTs. The arrangements included route domination, lateral deployment and security forces were also deployed for high-ridge and other deployments.
The morning train service between Baramulla and Banihal was cancelled, according to the police, as part of security preparations for the yatra. They also stated they had closed the Srinagar-Jammu national highway to traffic.
The police also stated that the organisers also didn’t inform after the discontinuation of the yatra by Rahul Gandhi.
The response by police came after the Congress alleged “very serious security lapses” when the Bharat Jodo Yatra entered the Kashmir Valley, leading to the cancellation of Rahul Gandhi’s march today in Qazigund, Kashmir.
Today, the police arrangements completely collapsed. There were no police officers present to control the crowd. My security team advised me not to continue the walk. It is crucial that the police put in place all the necessary arrangements.
— Congress (@INCIndia) January 27, 2023
: Shri @RahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/5ZMGenRZah
Rahul Gandhi only walked 4-5 km of the 16 km (20 km according to some reports) planned for the day, while the other participants continued on foot. Omar Abdullah, the head of the National Conference and former chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir, was with him.
NC leader Mr @OmarAbdullah joins Mr @RahulGandhi #BharatJodoYatra pic.twitter.com/QuAmP3xhJ6
— Supriya Bhardwaj (@Supriya23bh) January 27, 2023
According to Congress leaders, Rahul Gandhi was met by a sizable, unanticipated audience as he exited the Banihal Tunnel on his route to Srinagar.
“Police personnel supposed to manage the crowd were nowhere to be seen. The police arrangement collapsed after we exited the tunnel. My security got uncomfortable, so we had to cancel. I had to call off my walk because I can’t go against my security people,” Rahul Gandhi told reporters later. “It is the administration’s responsibility to guarantee crowd control,” the Congress leader added.
A layer of security “simply vanished,” tweeted Omar Abdullah, who attended the yatra with Rahul Gandhi.
I’m witness to this. The outer ring of the cordon which was maintained by J&K police simply vanished within minutes of @RahulGandhi starting to walk. We had just crossed in to Kashmir from Jammu & were looking forward to the 11 KM walk but unfortunately it had to be cancelled. https://t.co/H2DByCRYCi
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) January 27, 2023
The Congress party alleged that Jammu and Kashmir’s administrations mishandled the crowd and that there was a “sudden withdrawal of security personnel.”
According to Congress leaders, Rahul Gandhi was unable to move for almost 30 minutes because he was trapped in the midst of a swarm of people. The party eventually decided to call off the yatra for the day after the Congress MP from Wayanad was driven away in a bulletproof car.
“The police drove off after we crossed Banihal Tunnel. Who ordered this? The authorities responsible must answer for this lapse and take steps to prevent such incidents in future,” said Congress leader KC Venugopal. There were no security officers for 15 minutes, he claimed.
“For 15 minutes, there were no security officers with the Bharat Jodo Yatra. This is a very serious lapse. Rahul Gandhi and other yatris cannot walk without security,” Mr Venugopal told reporters.
Total Mishandled by the security officers , they are Playing with the life of Rahul Gandhi alleges @kcvenugopalmp on Security Lapse during Bharat Jodo Yatra pic.twitter.com/5BX4gjgrA2
— Siddharth sharma (@siddharthjourno) January 27, 2023
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that the security breach was “disconcerting.”
Lapse in Shri @RahulGandhi’s security detail in Jammu & Kashmir during #BharatJodoYatra is disconcerting to say the least.
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) January 27, 2023
It is GOI’s prime responsibility to provide security.
India has already lost two PM’s and scores of leaders & we demand better security for the Yatris.
Tweeting a picture of the incident, Congress leader Rajni Patil wrote the administration “failed to provide security to the Bharat Jodo Yatra,” and the security lapses revealed the administration’s “unfair and unprepared attitude.”
J&K UT Adminstration failed to provide security to #BharatJodoYatra led by Shri @RahulGandhi .
— Rajani Patil (@rajanipatil_in) January 27, 2023
Security lapses indicate unfair & unprepared attitude of UT adminstration. @OfficeOfLGJandK pic.twitter.com/hQoCIraZIO
Landslides and bad weather resulted in the cancellation of the Yatra early on Wednesday.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which embarked from Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari on September 7 and travelled 3,970 kilometers across 12 states and two union territories, will conclude in Srinagar on January 30.
