A big political fight broke out over Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelling his first Punjab rally, after the repeal of farm laws, owing to a security breach. The BJP termed the blockade by protesters, which had left the prime minister stranded on a flyover for 20 minutes, a conspiracy to physically harm him.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs swung into action and sought a report from the state government. Senior central ministers and BJP chief ministers condemned the incident and accused the Congress-led Charanjit Singh Channi government of playing with the security of the prime minister of the country.
BJP chief J.P. Nadda said the incident was a big security lapse as protesters were given access to the prime minister’s route even as the Punjab chief secretary and the DGP had given assurances to the SPG that the route was clear. “To make matters worse, CM Channi refused to get on the phone to either address the matter or solve it. The tactics used by the Congress government in Punjab would pain anyone who believes in democratic principles,” he said.
Union minister Smriti Irani, addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, accused the Congress of planting instruments to breach the security of the prime minister. “Never before in the history of India has a state government knowingly constructed a scenario where the PM will be brought to harm. Never before in the history of the country, police officers were directed or convenienced to breach his security and bring him physical harm.”
The minister also referred to Modi’s comment reported by news agency ANI that the 'state CM should be thanked as he was returning safely' implying that there was a physical danger to his life.
Irani posed questions to the state government and the Congress as to why the state DGP gave all clearance to the security detail of the PM. “Who gave information about the PM’s route to individuals who planted themselves atop the flyover? Why there was no security response from the state government when there was a breach and the PM was stranded for 20 minutes? Why did Congress leaders erupt with joy?”
BJP's IT chief Amit Malviya alleged that it was an attempt to assassinate the prime minister. “This deliberate security breach is nothing but an attempt to assassinate the prime minister and the Congress government in Punjab is responsible for it. Just because the Congress can’t defeat PM Modi politically, they are resorting to unconstitutional means to eliminate him,” Malviya tweeted.
The Congress responded to the BJP criticism, saying the PM changed his route at the last minute, and some farmers protested on the route. “Over 10,000 security personnel were deployed for the PM’s rally and all arrangements were made in tandem with the SPG and other agencies. But the PM decided to take a road journey to Hussainiwala. It was not part of his original schedule,” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.
Surjewala said the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, a farmers’ body, had already announced protest against the PM. They had even held two rounds of meeting with Union minister Gajendra Shekhawat, where the latter refused their demands. The Congress leader mocked the BJP that the PM cancelled his rally as there was a very thin attendance.
As the issue turned into a massive political fight, former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, who has aligned with the BJP for the upcoming polls, demanded that the state government be sacked as it could not provide security to the prime minister near the Pakistan border.
Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar said the incident was not acceptable. “It's against Panjabiyat. A secure passage for the prime minister of India to address BJP's political rally in Ferozpur should have been ensured. That’s how democracy works.”
Giving the sequence of events, the Union Home Ministry said Modi landed at Bathinda airport from where he was to go to the National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala near the Pakistan border by helicopter. As the weather was bad, the prime minister waited for about 20 minutes for the weather to clear out.
“When the weather did not improve, it was decided that he would visit the National Marytrs’ Memorial via road, which would take more than two hours. He proceeded to travel by road after necessary confirmation of the security arrangements by the DGP, Punjab Police. Around 30 kms away from the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala, when the prime minister’s convoy reached a flyover, it was found that the road was blocked by some protestors,” the MHA statement said.
"The prime minister was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes. This was a major lapse in the security of the prime minister."
The Centre claimed that the prime minister’s schedule and travel plan were communicated well in advance to the Punjab government. The MHA said as per procedure, the state government was to make necessary arrangements for logistics and security and even keep a contingency plan ready and deploy additional forces, which was not done.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) taking cognisance of this serious security lapse has sought a detailed report from the state government. The state government has also been asked to fix responsibility for this lapse and take strict action,” MHA said.
By evening, the state government has suspended the Ferozpur SSP, but the matter is unlikely to die down soon. In the election season, it will mean intensifying of the political battle.
