Congress will not accept compromise with Rahul’s security: Jairam Ramesh

Jammu/Samba: A day after twin bomb blasts rocked a busy locality here leaving nine people injured, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said there will be no compromise on the security of Rahul Gandhi who is leading the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Yatra entered Kathua district Thursday evening via Punjab. After a day’s break on Saturday, the yatra, which commenced from Kanyakumari on September 7, resumed from Hiranagar on Sunday and will reach Jammu on January 23.

According to party leaders, Gandhi is likely to celebrate Republic Day with the people of Jammu and Kashmir at Banihal the gateway town to Kashmir along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. Talking about the security of the Gandhi scion, Ramesh said the party’s stand is clear on terrorism and that there is no compromise in dealing with either the perpetrators or sponsors of terrorism.

“There will be no compromise on the security of Gandhi. His security is our topmost priority and we are following the guidelines of security agencies in totality,” he told reporters at Chak Nanak in Samba, where the Yatra will stop for the night after covering a distance of 21 km from Hiranagar. J&K AICC in-charge Rajni Patil, J&K Congress chief Vikar Rasool Wani and party chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma also addressed the press conference, asserting that the Yatra will conclude as per schedule.

“Rahul Gandhi is staying back in the Union territory and is likely to hoist the tricolour at Banihal along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway on the Republic Day,” Wani said.

Two back-to-back explosions had rocked a busy locality on the outskirts of Jammu on Saturday, leaving nine people injured, officials had said.

Condemning the attack, party spokesman Sharma said the last leg of the Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir was chalked out in consultation with the security agencies.

“We are concerned about the safety and security of our leader. The twin explosions at Narwal and another in Bajalta a day earlier raise a question mark on the security arrangements,” he said.

Ramesh, the Congress general secretary alleged that the BJP has imposed an ‘undeclared’ emergency in the country.