Rahul Gandhi, during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur, was hugged by a man on Tuesday, who tried to breach the security. The incident was reported from Hoshiarpur in the state. A video of the incident showed a man in a yellow jacket coming towards Rahul Gandhi and trying to hug him. He was pushed away by Congress workers, who were standing beside the Gandhi.
The incident comes weeks after the Congress accused the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), tasked with providing the inner cordon of Rahul Gandhi’s Z-plus category security, of major lapses during Bharat Jodo Yatra. Meanwhile, the Congress leader today denied there was any security breach. Rahul said, “Someone came to hug me and was checked by the security. I won’t call it a security lapse.Inspector General of Police GS Dhillon said Gandhi had himself called the man and there was no security breach.
“I have verified it. Rahul ji himself called him (the man) and then he tried to hug him (the Congress MP). After that (Amrinder Singh) Raja Warring pushed him away as the yatra moves at a certain speed and it affects its movement,” Dhillon said, adding there was nothing to suggest that it was a security breach.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed its journey in Hoshiarpur’s Tanda on Tuesday morning. Senior leaders of the party, including its Punjab chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Harish Chaudhary and Raj Kumar Chabbewal, were seen accompanying Gandhi during the yatra that will halt for the night at Mukerian.
Rahul Gandhi, who was again seen wearing the white T-shirt that he had sported for much of the journey, interacted with several people on the way and got photos clicked with them. On Monday, the former Congress chief said the yatra is getting an overwhelming response. He had also slammed the BJP government over the issues of unemployment and inflation.
