Authorities backtrack; Rahul to visit Amethi from Wednesday

Amethi, Oct 2: After much confusion, the Amethi district authorities have backtracked and on Monday said they have 'no objection' on the visit of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi here for three days starting October 4. Earlier the District Magistrate on the ground of security reasons had appealed to the leader to reach the district on October 6 evening. Amethi District Magistrate Yogesh Kumar said he would try to talk directly to Mr Gandhi to apprise him about the situation and request him to postpone his visit for two days. "But if the leader wants to come to Amethi on October 4, then also we would make arrangements for it," he said. "I will try to talk to Mr Gandhi on phone and will request him to reach Amethi on the evening of October 6, so that all security measures are in place. There is no politics on the matter and we are just concerned about the security of the VVIP, who is SGP covered," the DM had earlier said. But the Congress leaders, on the other hand, alleged that the BJP was playing politics in putting spanner on the visit of their leader as BJP national president Amit Shah is slated to visit Amethi on October 10 along with Union Minister Smriti Irani. "Our leader will reach Amethi on October 4 as per the schedule and no one can stop him from reaching his parliamentary constituency," a senior Congress leader claimed. "The Amethi district authorities are dancing to the tunes of the BJP leaders and their move is to prevent Mr Gandhi from visiting Amethi before the visit of Amit Shah," a senior party leader said. UP Congress president Raj Babbar, who is in Lucknow, alleged that the BJP government was afraid of the visit of Mr Gandhi that is why they are putting up hurdles in the name of security. "How can a MP be not allowed to visit his parliamentary constituency," he questioned. On the issue, the Amethi District Magistrate had again written to the district Congress president last night giving the details of the reasons asking why Mr Gandhi's visit was postponed. "As Mr Gandhi is likely to go to Tiloi and Mufassirkhana during his visit, the authorities of both the areas would be busy at Aamghat for the immersion of Durga idols on October 4 and 5, hence it would be difficult for the policemen to provide security to the leader," the letter said. The letter also blamed the media for raking up the issue and said it was trying to politicise the matter by blowing the matter out of proportion. On September 30, the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police Poonam in a joint letter to the Amethi Congress district president had asked Mr Gandhi to postpone his visit from October 4 as they would not be able to provide adequate security due to the ongoing Durga Puja festival in the district. Senior UP Congress leader and former MLA Akhilesh Pratap Singh has alleged that the Amethi district authorities were playing politics and intentionally trying to prevent Mr Gandhi from visiting his parliamentary constituency. But he confirmed that the visit of Mr Gandhi continues and there is no question of its cancellation. This would be a long gap visit of Mr Gandhi to his parliamentary constituency after the UP assembly elections. According to the schedule, the Congress vice-president will reach Lucknow airport at 1200 hrs on October 4 and proceed to Kathaura village in Jagdishpur area of Amethi at 1430 hrs where he will hold a chaupal. Later, he will visit several houses to pay his condolences on the death of senior party leaders and others. Thereafter he will move to Munshiganj guest house for night stay. On October 5, Mr Gandhi will meet the party workers at Munshiganj guest house between 1000 to 1130 hrs and later at 1400 hrs will attend a ' samvad"( interaction) programme at Rajiv Gandhi Degree college in Mohanganj area of Tiloi. After that he will be proceeding to Salvan area at 1600 hrs to visit some houses to pay condolence on the death of party leaders and other people. The Congress vice-president will have a night stay at Bhua Mau guest house in Rae Bareli on October 5th night. On October 6 morning, Mr Gandhi will board a flight to New Delhi from Lucknow airport. UNI