New Delhi: Congress' rising son Rahul Gandhi recently carried out campaign trail in Uttar Pradesh, seeking to change the party's fortunes. But his road shows, where he mingled with the public freely disregarding the security, has created concerns for the Centre.
The Centre on Sunday said that it would advise Rahul Gandhi to abide by the rule book for protecting VVIPs.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Sriprakash Jaiswal on Sunday said that he would advice Gandhi not to flout security norms.
During his rallies in Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi had given anxious moments to Special Protection Group personnel protecting him.
"When a leader is loved and greeted by public it is very difficult for him to stay away from the public. But Rahul should be careful. I would advise him to abide by the norms set by SPG," PTI quoted Jaiswal as saying.
On his whirlwind tour of the western part of Uttar Pradesh ahead of Assembly polls there, Rahul often clambered atop cars and walked along with people at many places.
He also stopped at roadside dhabbas and interacted with people, causing concern among the SPG.
Security agencies have earlier expressed apprehensions that exposure of high-profile leaders to unscreened masses was a major security risk.
After a review of the threat perception to the Gandhi family, the security of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her children Rahul and Priyanka was upgraded in 2006.
Gandhi started the campaign from Delhi-UP border on March 18 and on most of the occasions sticked to brief two-minute speeches.
On the way, Rahul reluctantly accepted turbans and other souveniers offered by the people.
Accompanied by UPCC Chief Salman Khursheed and Zonal in-charge Rashid Alvi, Rahul addressed two public rallies at Muradnagar and Mawana and conducted more than two dozen roadside meetings on the first day of his three-day tour of western UP.
"I want to ask you all one simple question: What have the successive government done for you in the past 15 years?" he asked in one of his rallies.
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