Green laser pointed at Rahul came from a mobile: MHA

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday said that it has not received any letter regarding a breach in Congress president Rahul Gandhi's security but as soon as its attention was drawn to media reports, the Special Protection Group (SPG) Director was asked to verify the facts.

"The Director (SPG) has informed MHA that they have gone through the video clipping of the incident very closely. The 'green light' shown in the clipping was found to be that of a mobile phone used by the AICC photographer, who was videographing the impromptu press interaction of Rahul Gandhi near the collectorate at Amethi," the spokesperson said.

The MHA spokesperson said the SPG Director informed the MHA that this was conveyed to Gandhi's personal staff. "The Director (SPG) has confirmed that there was no security implication whatsoever," he said.

Earlier, the Congress said it had sent a letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh claiming a breach in Rahul Gandhi's security in Amethi after he filed his nomination papers for the Lok Sabha elections.

Senior leaders Jairam Ramesh, Randeep Surjewala and Ahmed Patel, said in the letter that a green colour laser was pointed at Rahul on seven occasions while he was interacting with the media in Amethi on Wednesday after filing his nomination papers.

“All of us are deeply shocked and distressed at the possibility of the Congress president being targeted by a potential assassin,” the three leaders said in the letter dated April 10. They also sent a video of Rahul's media interaction to the Home Minister.

“A perusal of the video by various persons including former security personnel leads to a prima facie conclusion that this laser could emanate from a potential weapon such as a sniper gun,” the leaders said.

The leaders urged the Home Minister to immediately take note of this grave and unacceptable security threat as also the security lapse in the security of the Congress president.

“This is also an alarming lapse on part of the UP administration which is responsible for the peripheral security,” they said citing that Rahul's family members late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi had been assassinated.

They told the minister that Rahul's security was the first responsibility of the central government and the Home Ministry.

“We reiterate and again request you to initiate immediate action in the matter to investigate and neutralize the threat if any,” the leaders said.