Controversy Over Security Checks and Delays as Rahul Gandhi's Bag and Helicopter are Targeted

Election officials on Saturday checked the bag of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at Dhamangaon railway in Amravati district of Maharashtra. Rahul Gandhi had come here to address a public meeting for the assembly elections to be held on November 20. Gandhi's bag was checked after he landed from a helicopter at the helipad of Dhamangaon railway, one of the eight assembly seats in Amravati district.

Former state minister and Congress' Teosa MLA Yashomati Thakur, while talking to reporters, questioned the action of the election officials and asked why they are not checking the bags of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah or Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

This issue was raised a lot after the bag of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray was checked in Yavatmal. Thackeray not only made a video of this process but also questioned the election officials for not checking the bags of Modi, Shah, Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. After this, in many videos, election officials were seen checking the bags of Shah, Shinde, Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar etc. On Friday itself, Rahul Gandhi's bag was checked in Jharkhand.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying that despite having the status of a cabinet minister, the Leader of the Opposition is not being provided access to the reserved lounge of the airport and questioned whether a toilet can also be reserved for the Prime Minister? Along with this, the Congress President criticized Modi and Shah for allegedly delaying his and Rahul Gandhi's helicopter.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's helicopter was delayed by about two hours on Friday, after which the Congress alleged that this delay was politically motivated. Officials said PM Modi was stuck at the Deoghar airport for nearly two hours on Friday and the area was declared a no-fly zone as the PM waited there till the glitch was fixed. "Yesterday our leader Rahul Gandhi's helicopter was deliberately delayed by two hours as the PM was boarding his plane. Today my helicopter was delayed by 20 minutes as Union Home Minister Amit Shah was landing. His route was different and mine was different," the Congress president said.

"Rahul Gandhi ji is the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, he has the status of a cabinet minister. I also have this status, but in the reserved lounge of the airport, they (officials) say it is for PM Modi, I want to ask if a toilet can also be reserved for the PM?"