Rahul’s ‘guerilla style’ protest raises concerns over broadcast security

Did the sit-in staged by Rahul Gandhi and his supporters inside the Akashvani Bhawan complex, after entering in a “guerrilla-style” operation, ring new alarm bells for the security establishment? Was the protest by Rahul Gandhi’s team pre-planned, or was it merely the result of negligence at the lower levels of the security apparatus, or perhaps some form of collusion? Rahul Gandhi’s supporters had earlier created serious security concerns by dodging security personnel and staging a sit-in at the gates of the Prime Minister’s residence. If terrorists or Maoist-Naxal elements were to infiltrate during such guerrilla-style attempts, a catastrophic incident could occur. In several countries around the world, radio stations have been seized to announce rebellions against those in power.

Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and others for entering Akashvani Bhawan without permission and staging a sit-in on the premises. Rahul Gandhi described the action as a symbol of political struggle. He said that 45 FIRs had already been registered against him and that his target was 100 FIRs. In his words, every FIR was a “medal” for him.

Peaceful protests and dissent are part of democratic rights in India. However, this does not mean that anyone can enter government premises without permission. Akashvani Bhawan is not an ordinary public protest site. It houses sensitive broadcasting operations and security arrangements.

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Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that he intends to continue the agitation until Gyanesh Kumar resigns. Democracy guarantees the right to protest through sit-ins and other forms of dissent, but nobody has the right to violate the security of government premises or break the law. The question is which location was chosen for the protest, how entry was gained and what might have happened if the same method had been used for a more serious purpose.