RAHUL ‘SHOCKED’
In a big security breach, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who is on his ‘Kisan Yatra’ through Uttar Pradesh, had a narrow escape here on Saturday when he came in contact with a live electricity wire.
However, state Congress president Raj Babbar said: “It was a halogen lamp which was overheated and as Gandhi’s hand touched it, he was forced to withdraw his hand. It was not an electric shock.” Despite Babbar trying to downplay the incident, pictures with Hindustan Times clearly show that Gandhi received a shock from the hanging electricity wire while he was moving away after garlanding the statue of Maharaja Agrasen at Favara crossing here.
Social media and news channels too were flooded with news about Gandhi receiving an electric shock. According to reports, Gandhi’s head touched the electric wire and he had to put his head down, apparently in pain, after receiving the shock as SPG men rushed to remove the wire. Gandhi then looked at the wire and enquired about this lapse from the priest conducting the ceremony.
As Babbar, who was accompanying Gandhi, asked him if he was okay, Gandhi responded in jest: “Aapne to mujhe current lagwa di (You got me electrocuted)”.Gandhi’s initial reaction was of dismay and surprise about such a lapse but he moved on and later informed concerned party leaders that he was fine and continued with the road show.
The electricity wire was apparently being used to power the shops in the market. This is the second security breach faced by Gandhi, who is protected by the elite Special Protection Group, during his ongoing 2,500 km ‘Kisan Mahayatra.
Earlier, last week a young man threw a shoe at him in Sitapur. The footwear missed Gandhi narrowly but sent jitters through the security agencies.