New Delhi: More and more leaders, BJP chief ministers have started speaking about the security breach of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convoy in Punjab and stepped up their attack against the Congress government in the border state.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and three others Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh), Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam) and Biplab Kumar Deb (Tripura), have pointed out that the incident happened close to the Pakistan border, and the PM's convoy was stranded was just a few kilometres from the border, vulnerable to "drones, missiles and snipers".
Yogi Adityanath said the episode unfolded "despite intelligence inputs about possible Khalistani involvement."
"It has become clear that this was a pre-designed conspiracy. The Punjab government did not follow the rules and protocol laid down in the SPG blue book. They did not even follow the elementary protocol of the Prime Minister being received by the Chief Minister and the DGP. This is not just a violation of security protocol but a conspiracy against the country, for which the chief minister should apologise," he said.
As reported earlier, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi should be arrested.
Among others, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "The Congress, in the process of hating Narendra Modi, has developed a hatred for the country, the PM's position, the Constitution, Army, security and national interest. The flyover on which the PM's cavalcade was stuck was just a few kilometres away from the Pakistan border, surrounded by highrises and trees," said Chouhan.
His Tripura counterpart, Biplab Kumar Deb alleged that the security breach was pre-planned and part of a well-orchestrated conspiracy. "Khalistani organisations who foster anti-India sentiments were involved in the security breach and the way Congress leaders have reacted makes it clear that the Congress high command sponsored the whole incident," he alleged.
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar also raised his voice on the issue, referring to the "sting operation" and said, "Clear instructions were given to farmer leaders on how to block the routes. It is extremely shameful ...," he said adding, the Prime Minister's life was put in danger.
Pushkar Singh Dhami of poll-bound Uttarakhand demanded that the Congress high command had to be made answerable. "... This was not just a mistake, but a massive conspiracy. The way they tried to harm the Prime Minister, this was not spontaneous, but premeditated and sponsored."
A sting operation by a TV channel claimed that apart from 'letters', intelligence officials in the field had also informed senior officials that protesters were likely to disrupt the PM's visit to Ferozepur on January 5. It has also been reported that Punjab ADGP (Law and Order) Naresh Arora, between December 31 and January 4, conveyed to district SSPs and other field officers about the possible blockade.
At least two Congress leaders, Manish Tewari and Sunil Jakhar, have taken different stands from their party. Tewari said, "PM's security should not become a political football." Congress MP Sunil Jakhar had tweeted: "What has happened today (January 5) is just not acceptable. It's against Panjabiyat. A secure passage for the Prime Minister of India to address BJP's political rally in Ferozepur should have been ensured. That's how democracy works."
New Delhi
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on Tuesday said the 'breach' in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security in Punjab was a 'conspiracy' hatched by the Charanjit Singh Channi government.
Talking to reporters, he said it was a "hundred percent" conspiracy to embarrass the BJP.
“It was well planned to embarrass the BJP and the entire system and who was hatching this conspiracy. It was (the then DGP Siddharth) Chattopadhyaya, Channi, (Deputy Chief Minister) Sukhjinder Randhawa and (state Congress chief) Navjot Singh Sidhu,” Majithia alleged.
He also said the chief minister is only trying to downplay the issue of security breach.
“Earlier also we have witnessed how the persons who had come to garland former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi
assassinated him in 1991," he said.
The remarks from Majithia, whose party Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is an erstwhile ally of the BJP, are being
considered significant in some political circles.
Majitha also wondered why when the chief minister Channi or state Congress chief Sidhu travel, their roads
are not blocked.
In these cases, the route diversion plans are ready, Majithia said but added
why the state government failed to find an alternative route for the Prime Minister.
The Supreme Court on Monday said it would set up an independent panel headed by a former judge
of the apex court to probe the security breach during the Prime Minister's visit to Feoreozepur on January 5.
During the hearing in the Supreme Court on Monday, Jan 10, Solicitor General Tushar Mehtra said
"The fact that the Punjab government is defending the officers is very very serious".
The three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana also directed the centre and
the Punjab government to hold the enquiries by the respective panels set up after the incident.
Other Judges in the bench are Justice Surya Kant and Justice Hima Kohli.
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Even as the Supreme Court on Wednesday, Jan 12, announced the setting up of a panel headed byformer judge Justice Indu ZZ, the BJP has stepped up its attack on the Channi government's rolein the entire episode.
"Who in Congress sought to benefit from the breach of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security?," Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani said at a press conference here.
She also said, "Why did the Punjab Chief Minister brief a private citizen (Priyanka Gandhi Vadra) on the Prime Minister's security protocol and the breach?"
"Why is the private citizen, who is a part of the Gandhi family, an interested party?," she wanted to
know.
The remarks are significant as Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had triggered a political row afterhe said that he had 'briefed' Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on everything that happened at Ferozepur on January 5 during the Prime Minister's visit to the state.
Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal had tweeted among others, "Congress leaders once again expose their sycophancy towards the Gandhi family. The Punjab CM briefing a non-constitutional authority raises questions on who scripted the whole plot compromising PM Narendra Modi ji's security and risking his life".
Other BJP leaders also had maintained that Chief Minister Channi was being subservient only to the Gandhi family and party leader Priyanka Gandhi and not to the Constitution of the country.
At the briefing, Union Minister Ms Irani said, "I reiterate our questions to Congress high command. Why were security measures deliberately breached due to the active connivance of the Congress-led government in Punjab?"
Ms Irani also referred to reports in a section of the media including electronic media that claimed that no adequate arrangements were made to ensure security to the PM’s convoy.
“I had asked a few questions to the Congress government.....Today a television channel shows the statements of Punjab Police. No arrangement was made for the security of the Prime Minister," the Ministerremarked.
"Thus, the question remains at whose behest did the DGP give the route clearance order?”
Smriti Irani said that the security lapse was both condemnable and also a punishable offense.
Ferozepur Deputy Superintendent of Police Sukhdev Singh had said that a report was sent to the Additional Director General of Police on January 2 regarding protesters' plan to stop traffic on crucial roads and prevent BJP workers from reaching PM Modi’s rally.
“The Baldev Singh Zira group (Bharatiya Kisan Union Krantikari - Phul) had planned earlier to assemble. I informed the Senior Superintendent of Police. They marched and broke barricades. When they staged the blockade, we informed again," a senior police officer reportedly says.
Meanwhile, Congress MP from Punjab's Anandpur Sahib, Manish Tewari has said,"Punjab requires a CM who has solutions to Punjab's challenges, capacity to take tough decisions. Punjab needs serious people whose politics is Not Social Engineering, Entertainment, Freebies and NOT regime favourites rejected by people in successive elections".
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