Lucknow, October 26
Going in defence mode, the Mayawati government today denied any security lapse during Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi’s October 24 visit to Kanpur.” Such statements are beyond facts,” said cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh.
Going on the backfoot, it completely washed its hands off the move to prevent the young MP from interacting with students from Chandra Shekhar Azad Agricultural University during his Kanpur visit.
Addressing a press conference, the state cabinet secretary said: “DGP Vikram Singh had ordered an inquiry and the report received on the issue clearly states that there was no security lapse during Rahul’s visit”.
He admitted that the union home secretary and the IB chief had held telephonic talks with the UP DGP about reports that there were some security lapses during Rahul’s visit to Kanpur.
“A letter giving all details is now being sent to the union home secretary. We have also asked the government of India to ensure that programmes of VIPs under SPG cover must be duly informed to the local police and the schedule of the programme must be adhered to in order to ensure proper security of the person in question,” said Singh.
According to Singh, chief minister Mayawati has issued standing instructions that there should be no easygoingness in the security of both Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, both of whom are enjoy SPG protection.
Commenting on the cancellation of Gandhi’s interaction with students at the Chandra Shekhar Agricultural University on the same day, Singh claimed that the organisers of the MP’s programme in the district had only sought permission for a public meeting at Moti Jheel that had been granted.
“It was the university’s decision taken at its own discretion,” claimed the cabinet secretary adding that “we were neither informed about the programme at the university nor was any permission taken for the same.”
Asserting that the state government received the news of the cancellation of the programme only through the electronic media, Singh maintained that the vice-chancellor of the university had informed union minister of state for home Prakash Jaiswal about the cancellation of the programme well in advance.
Meanwhile, it is believed that Governor T.V. Rajeswar has taken a very serious view of the vice-chancellor cancelling Rahul Gandhi’s programme at the eleventh hour.
According to Raj Bhawan sources, the Governor, who is also the chancellor of the university, may seek a report from the vice-chancellor or may even summon him.
