Balaghat, Oct 1 (IANS) Hours before Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s scheduled visit to Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district on Thursday, the state Congress alleged that the police and administration had been negligent in making security arrangements for his visit.
However, a letter issued by the Balaghat district police two days earlier, on September 29, shows that the authorities had already flagged security concerns to local Congress MLA Sanjay Uke and sought his cooperation in making arrangements for Gandhi’s proposed visit.
The Congress party shared the letter with the media while alleging that the government machinery was claiming ignorance about a pre-scheduled programme despite having prior information.
Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari said the alleged negligence by the Balaghat police and administration regarding Gandhi’s security was “highly objectionable”.
“Despite the programme being pre-scheduled and prior information having been given, the government machinery is claiming ignorance about his visit. This itself exposes the lapses and shortcomings in the system,” Patwari said in a statement on Thursday.
The letter, addressed to Baihar MLA Sanjay Uke, stated that the police had received information through various sources about Gandhi’s proposed October 1 tour and public programme in Balaghat, but claimed that the organisers had not submitted written information or details regarding his arrival and programme in advance.
The police specifically pointed out that Balaghat was a “highly sensitive and former Naxal-affected area” from the security point of view and said VIP/VVIP movement in such areas required Advanced Security Liaisoning, route clearance, bomb-disposal checks, anti-Naxal combing operations and a multi-layered security cordon.
It also said that arranging adequate security forces, traffic diversions and emergency measures in such a sensitive area at short notice was “extremely complex and difficult” from the administrative and security point of view.
The police asked Uke to immediately coordinate with the administration, along with Congress organisers and volunteers and provide details of the programme, including its schedule, expected number of attendees, volunteer lists and mobile numbers, parking and traffic arrangements and details of people likely to meet Gandhi.
The letter further stated that Gandhi had been provided Z-plus security and sought names, mobile numbers and Aadhaar details of people who were expected to meet him, saying the information had not been provided to the police till then.
It also cited the Justice Verma Commission and VVIP Security Code while stressing that organisers were responsible for providing complete information, schedule and route map of any VIP/VVIP programme to the local police and administration sufficiently in advance.
Uke has represented the Baihar Assembly constituency continuously since 2013 and was re-elected in the 2023 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections.
Gandhi’s Balaghat visit assumes significance as he is scheduled to meet families affected by the death of tribal children in the district amid concerns over infectious diseases, malnutrition and healthcare facilities.
–IANS
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