Laser, possibly from sniper gun, aimed at Rahul Gandhi in Amethi: Congress

The Congress has alleged breach in party president Rahul Gandhi’s security in Uttar Pradesh during his visit to Amethi in Uttar Pradesh to file his nominations this week. In a letter addressed to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, three senior Congress leaders have asked the centre to “probe and neutralize the threat, if any,” and ensure that the protocol relating the Congress president’s security detail is strictly followed. In the letter, the Congress leaders said a green laser was pointed 7 times at Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s head when he was interacting with the media after filing his nominations. It was around this time that, the Congress said, “…a laser (green) was pointed at his head, intermittently on at least 7 separate occasions in a short period; including twice at his temple on the right side of the head”. The letter also referred to a video clip of his media interaction as evidence of the green light. “A perusal of the video by various persons including former security personnel leads to a prima facie conclusion that this laser could emanate from a potential weapon such as a sniper gun,” the letter signed by Ahmed Patel, Jairam Ramesh and Randeep Singh Surjewala said. “Even a possibility like this is a cause of serious alarm and concern pointing towards a breach in the security of Congress President Shri Rahul Gandhi,” the Congress leaders said in the letter. “All of us are deeply shocked and distressed at the possibility of the Congress president being targeted by a potential assassin.” But after the Home Ministry insisted that the green light pointed at Rahul Gandhi was from a mobile phone used by the party’s photographer, the Congress clarified that the party hadn’t sent the letter to the home ministry. A Congress leader suggested that a draft letter, signed by three leaders appeared to have been leaked. The Congress’s letter had also cited the assassination of Rahul’s father and grandmother, former prime ministers Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi, to assert that the security breach was “a cause of grave and pressing concern”. “We urge you to immediately take note of this grave and unacceptable security threat as also the security lapse in the security of the Congress president... This is also an alarming lapse on part of the UP administration which is responsible for the peripheral security,” the letter said. The Congress said the home minister that Rahul Gandhi’s security was the “first responsibility” of the central government and the home ministry. “Rahul Gandhi being a high risk target is especially vulnerable during the extensive electioneering in the ongoing 2019 elections,” the letter said. During the Karnataka elections last year, the Congress had suspected sabotage when a plane taking Rahul Gandhi from Delhi to Karnataka for his poll campaign sudenly plunged and shuddered violently despite clear weather. A Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) investigation report released later blamed it on an error in the Flight Control Computer and a delay by the crew in dealing with the situation. Source: Hindustan Times