KALPETTA: The assigning of 50 consecutive hours of duty to 40 policemen who were on duty with Rahul Gandhi’s motorcade has led to resentment within the police force. According to criticism from within the police ranks, those who started duty at 2pm on Wednesday had to continue their work till Friday afternoon. However, the Kannur Range DIG — who appointed the 40-member police team for Rahul’s security escort in Wayanad and Kannur — refuted the allegation, saying no such order was officially issued.
Rahul Gandhi, the Wayanad MP, arrived in his constituency on Wednesday night for a three-day visit to Kerala. In view of the visit of the Congress leader, who is a VVIP, 40 police officers were assigned for security. The officers, who entered duty on Wednesday afternoon at Nadukani, the district border, had to work continuously for over two days. The officers themselves found the verbal order of the top official unusual.
While the security duty of any VVIP is the responsibility of the district police unit concerned. Going by the usual practice, the Wayanad police team has to provide security to Rahul Gandhi -- who proceeded to Kannur after completing his programmes in Wayanad district on Thursday -- till the Wayanad-Kannur district border of Chandanathode.
But it is alleged that the Kannur Range DIG verbally ordered the same team of police officers to continue with the duty in Kannur as well. The police personnel ended up in a situation where they had to work without sufficient rest till Friday.
“No order was issued regarding 50 hours of work,” said Kannur Range DIG Thomson Jose.
“We had to make some arrangements to provide security to the MP. We had to mobilise police personnel from different stations and they were deployed for the duty. The allegation of lack of time to rest is also baseless, since there were halting places. If the VVIP is going to Kannur and resting there, the officers will also halt there. However, we are checking the allegations.”
Meanwhile, a security lapse during Rahul’s visit to Wayanad has caused concern. After the event at the collectorate, when the motorcade left for Mananthavady, Rahul’s vehicle entered the Rest House but the two pilot vehicles went ahead for about a 100 metres and returned to the Rest House after they were alerted about the mistake.
Bats for more women representation in party
Kochi: At ‘Utsaah,’ the state conference of Mahila Congress, which saw a good representation of women leaders and workers, Rahul Gandhi called for the inclusion of more women at all levels of party leadership. “Normally, I see a crowd and there is a huge number of men and I have to look for the women. Today, I am happy that there is a huge crowd. There are women and I have to look for the men. The only problem is that on the stage it is men who are dominating.
That is good but now our job is to ensure that at every level of the Congress party, there is more participation of women,” he added. He shared his mike with Soya Joseph, state secretary of Mahila Congress, who translated his speech, saying: “There are two mikes but only one is really needed.” Throughout his speech, Rahul focused on empowering women. Party leaders had earlier said that the conference will mark the beginning of party’s preparation for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.