The chief minister of Punjab Charanjeet Singh Channi said that there wasn’t any breach of security in Prime minister’s cavalcade being not allowed to go ahead to Husaainiwala by road, as being claimed.
The fact of the matter is that the prime minister’s entire security arrangements were being monitored and looked after by SPG and IB and there was a change in the programme of prime minister’s cavalcade taking the road route at the last minute as earlier he had to go to Husainiwala by Helicopter said Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi in a press conference.
Expressing his anguish and regret on the cancellation of prime minister’s Hussainiwala tour, Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi said that he had high regards for prime minister as he is not only on the top post but also elder to me. The Punjabies will prefer sacrificing their lives than to let anyone harm our honourable guests indicating towards PM minister’s safety n security.
Me and my entire cabinet can never ever tolerate any harm done to our honourable PM as will prefer to shed their blood first then anyone harming our guest said Punjab CM while answering to the media questions. This is Punjab’s historical record thatwe will prefer sacrificing ourselves than let anyone harm our guest said CM Channi.
He added that he was to go to receive the Prime minister but due to the Corona infection of one of my colleagues I had to assign the responsibility to our finance minister Manpreet Badal and deputy CM to receive him.
On the question relating to the CM not responding to the repeated calls of the BJP national chief J. P. Nadda, Punjab CM flatly denied the accusations saying that did not got any call from him but he did spoke to the home minister, informing about change in the programme of PM by road instead of helicopter probably due to rain, poor light or inclement weather conditions. He added that I have records of all the calls and I respond to every call or calls coming on other phone of my IAS colleague.
Speaking to media persons and a TV channel, Punjab CM Channi reiterated that there had been no breach in PM’s security clarifying that I was yesterday night personally inspecting the venue and arrangements of Prime minister’s rally to ensure adequate security arrangements.
The prime minister’s change in programme by road was made at the last moment he added. Earlier he had to go to Hussainiwala by Helicopter. PM Modi had reached Bhatinda. From here he had to head for National Martyr memorial, Hussainiwala by a chopper. But due to rain, poor light Or bad weather the programme was changed at the last moment he clarified.
PM Modi and his cavalcade waited for twenty minutes while it was raining at the flyover. Since the weather remained bad with no improvement in sight, then he decided to go by road said Channi. He also said that there was a peaceful protest of farmers on the way few kilometres away but should not be associated with security breach of PM, mentioninv that some persons all of a sudden came in front if his car yesterday, he changed his route and came home. What’s a great deal? He added : When the prime minister decided to go by road the journey was to take the time of two hours.
The Punjab DGP after making all the necessary security arrangements gave a green signal and when the PM’s cavalcade started proceeding towards Hussainiwala, Shaheed Smarak, thirty kilometres away from the flyover they were stranded , they got the information that the agitating farmers ahead having blocked the road. As a result the Prime minister’s cavalcade had to wait on the flyover for at least 15 to 20 minutes, finally returning to Bhatinda Airport, cancelling the Hussainiwala programme, where he had to go to pay his tributes to martyrs and make several announcement of various developmental projects worth thousands of crores of rupees.
Meanwhile, on a question of his response to prime minister having said to Punjab officers to thank the Punjab CM and convey to him that I ( PM) have returned safe and sound, Punjab CM Channi said said I have high regards for prime minister and would not comment anything on this, whether he said in anger, or in political context or in humour.
Meanwhile, national chief of BJP J. P Nadda has while strongly criticizing the Punjab govt in series of tweets wrote : It is anguishing to note that the tour of prime minister going to Punjab to announce developmental projects of thousands of crores of rupees have been held up. But we will not let the lowest mentality to become bottleneck in the development of Punjab n shall continue to energise our efforts for the development of Punjab.
He expressed his serious concern tweeting that despite the DGP and chief secretary assuring the SPG that prime minister’s cavalcade road us clear the protestors were deliberately allowed to protest on PM’s route compromising with his high profile security. Accusing the Punjab CM for deliberately non cooperating he tweeted that he not only did not attended my phone but refuse to co-operate on this serious matter. The strategy being adopted by Punjab CM will trouble, infuriate and annoy anyone believing in democratic values and constitutional norms tweeted Nadda.
It may be recalled that the agitating farmers had blocked the road to Husaainiwala by their tractors and trolleys, compelling the SPG to ask the senior Punjab Police officers to manage clearing of the road but of no. Avail finally compelling the prime minister’s cavalcade to return back to Bhatinda Airport.
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.
