New Delhi: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in a letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has raised concerns over repeated lapses in security protocol by Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi during his foreign trips, in a move that has been questioned by the party for its timing amid allegations of electoral fraud.

The CRPF in its letter to Kharge said that despite enjoying Z security cover with an advance security liaison (ASL), Gandhi had certain “unscheduled movements without intimation” during his domestic visits as well as before leaving for overseas, reported the Indian Express.

The letter said that such movements without prior intimation pose a risk and that guidelines should be followed as stated in the “yellow book” for VIP security. It also highlighted that security protocol “violations, as per the guidelines”, were made by Gandhi on “several occasions” and this had been communicated to him “from time to time”, the report said.

“Since 2020, there have been 113 violations observed and duly communicated,” it said.

The Times of India reported that the letter cited Gandhi's trips abroad including to Italy, Vietnam, Dubai, Qatar, London and Malaysia. The CRPF said that violation of protocol weakens security effectiveness.

Its report said around ten or 12 armed CRPF commandos provide a proximate security cover to Gandhi whenever he is mobile, while as a part of his ASL the force carries out an early reconnaissance of the locations he is scheduled to visit.

The Congress on the other hand has questioned the timing of the letter, when the party is continuing with its campaign of alleging “vote theft” by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said that the letter and “its instant public release raise disturbing questions”.

“It comes just as Rahul Gandhi is leading the charge against the BJP’s vote chori carried out with the Election Commission’s complicity,” he said.

“Is this a veiled attempt to intimidate the leader of opposition, who has already announced another imminent disclosure? Is the government rattled by the truth he is about to reveal?”

On August 7, Gandhi in a press conference had alleged that the BJP in collusion with the Election Commission had stolen the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka's Mahadevapura assembly segment.

Since then the party along with the opposition INDIA bloc has been raising allegations of “vote theft” both outside and inside parliament.

Earlier this week, Gandhi said that he would soon release further allegations of vote theft against the BJP, which he claimed would land like a “hydrogen bomb”.

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