Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Sept 11: The Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, had allegedly violated certain security protocols during some of his foreign visits, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which is responsible for his security, has complained.
In a letter written to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday, a copy of which was also sent to Rahul Gandhi, the CPRF said the former Congress president had on multiple occasions, failed to comply with the mandatory protective measures during his visits abroad. The security agency said the lapses could weaken the effectiveness of VVIP security arrangements, as it appealed to the former Congress president to adhere to security protocols during his future foreign visits.
The CRPF VVIP Security Chief Sunil June alleged Mr Gandhi was not taking his security cover “seriously” as he was mostly travelling abroad “without informing anyone.” The CRPF official referred to Mr Gandhi’s foreign tours to countries such as Italy (December 30 to January 9), Vietnam (March 12 to 17), Dubai (April 17 to 23), Qatar (June 11 to 18), London (June 25 to July 6), and Malaysia (September 4 to 8). The Rae Bareli MP was violating the protocols mentioned in the Yellow Book of the CRPF, the letter said.
There was no immediate comment from Mr Gandhi, Mr Kharge or the Congress party on the matter. Mr Gandhi currently enjoys Z+ category security with Advanced Security Liaison (ASL). Z+ ASL is among the highest level of protection provided to individuals facing significant threat perception, and comprises roughly 55 security personnel, including National Security Guard commandos. Under ASL, security personnel conduct early reconnaissance of a place to be visited by their VIP in coordination with the local police and intelligence units. Under ASL cover, 10 to 12 CRPF personnel are always with him during his visits. As a part of the protocol, CRPF personnel conduct a recce of the place where Rahul is scheduled to visit. Under the ‘yellow book’ protocol, the person with ‘Z+’ security needs to keep the security personnel in the loop about their travel.
It is not for the first time that the CRPF has written to Mr Gandhi over his security cover. In 2022, the CRPF said the Congress leader violated security guidelines on 113 occasions since 2020, including in the Delhi leg of the party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra.
In 2023, the Congress alleged lapses in security arrangements during the Kashmir leg of the Yatra after Mr Gandhi was greeted by a huge unexpected crowd when he entered the Valley. Mr Gandhi was stuck in the middle of a crowd and couldn’t move for about 30 minutes, his party colleagues said. Days earlier, the Congress had written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleging “security breaches” in the Bharat Jodo Yatra when it entered the national capital on December 24.
In a security breach last month, Mr Gandhi was on a two-wheeler and participating in a ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar when an unidentified man suddenly hugged him tightly and planted a kiss on his shoulder. As the Congress leader struggled to keep his two-wheeler balanced, security personnel pounced on the intruder, who was slapped and shoved aside.
In 2019, the Union government withdrew the Special Protection Group (SPG) protection given to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her children Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, almost after three decades. The security cover was replaced by the CRPF.
The ruling BJP has taken the CRPF letter as an opportunity to attack Rahul and the Congress, saying the Lok Sabha LoP has violated the ‘yellow book’ protocol. “CRPF flags breach of security protocol by Rahul Gandhi. Under the Yellow Book protocol, individuals under high-category security are required to provide prior intimation about their movements, including foreign travel, to enable deployment. Rahul doesn’t,” said BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya on ‘X’.
BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also took a dig at Rahul, asking what the former Congress president was hiding. In an ‘X’ post, Bhandari called Rahul “dangerous for India’s democracy.” “CRPF’s flagging of breaches in security protocol by Rahul Gandhi during foreign visits is a grave violation. Whose orders is Rahul Gandhi following during these suspicious foreign visits?” he posted.
Earlier also, the BJP had come down heavily on Congress leader amid the campaign for the Bihar Assembly elections over his trip to Malaysia. Mr Malviya took to X and questioned the timing of the Congress leader’s trip. Malviya accused Gandhi of being busy in “perfecting the art of disappearing and vacationing.”
“Looks like the heat and dust of Bihar’s politics was too much for the Congress Yuvraj, who had to rush off for a break. Or is it another one of those secret meetings that not one is supposed to know about?,” he posted. “Either way, while people struggle with real issues, Rahul Gandhi is busy perfecting the art of disappearing and vacationing.”
Gandhi and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav had been leading the “Voter Adhikar Yatra” in Bihar, which lasted two weeks and concluded on September 1. They criticized the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR), labelling it “undemocratic,” “biased,” and a form of “vote theft.” Gandhi’s foreign trips have frequently sparked discussion, particularly in the context of Parliament sessions and election periods. During this year’s Budget session, BJP leaders questioned his repeated visits to Vietnam and other countries.
“Rahul Gandhi seems to be spending more time in Vietnam than in his own constituency. His frequent trips raise questions about his motivations and priorities,” Ravi Shankar Prasad had said. Malviya also posted, “As Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi holds a critical role, and his frequent, unexplained trips abroad, especially when Parliament is in session, raise concerns about propriety and even national security.”
Earlier, Gandhi’s visit to Vietnam during the seven-day mourning period after Singh’s passing in December 2022 had drawn sharp criticism. The BJP accused him of using Singh’s death for political advantage while being absent during the country’s mourning period.