New Delhi: In the wake of a security scare for Rahul Gandhi during his padayatra in Aligarh district, Congress on Thursday said it is the responsibility of the Uttar Pradesh government and security agencies to provide foolproof security to the young leader.
“The security of Rahul Gandhi is a sensitive issue,” party spokesperson Manish Tewari said, adding political leaders reach out to people and it is incumbent on the state government and security agencies to provide foolproof security.
A young man Harikrishan Sharma carrying a licensed .32 bore revolver was detained while trying to move close to Rahul during his padayatra.
“The security for people like Rahul Gandhi must be taken care of and proper steps taken,” Soni said when asked about the incident.
The Uttar Pradesh Police claimed that the incident was not a “blatant security breach” and that Sharma is a “properly verified” resident of nearby Udaipur village.
Rahul is in Tappal on the third day of his padayatra and was headed towards Aligarh town for the Congress-backed ‘kisan mahapanchayat’ on Saturday.
Five persons, including a policeman and four farmers, were killed in violent protests at Tappal last August during a land agitation by farmers against the state government. (PTI)