What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
FEROZEPUR: PM Narendra Modi, who had landed in Bathinda early this morning, will not address the public rally at Ferozepur, following a security breach that took place after he was held up on road stretch for 15 minutes.
Modi was scheduled to lay foundation stones of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 42,750 crore that include Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, four landing of Amritsar-Una section, PGI satellite centre at Ferozepur and two medical colleges at Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur.
“Today morning PM landed at Bathinda from where he was to go to National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala by helicopter. Due to rain and poor visibility, PM waited for about 20 minutes for the weather to clear out. When the weather didn’t improve, it was decided that he would visit the National Marytrs Memorial via road, which would take more than 2 hours. He proceeded to travel by road after necessary confirmation of security arrangements by the DGP Punjab Police
Around 30 kms away from National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala, when the PM’s convoy reached a flyover, it was found that the road was blocked by some protestors,” said an official.
“The PM was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes. This was a major lapse in the security of PM,” he added.
Earlier, former Punjab CM Capt Amarinder and Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pratap Bajwa’s brother Fateh Bajwa had reached the rally site.
The Ferozepur address would have been first joint public address by the BJP and Amarinder’s Punjab Lok Congress ahead of elections, two weeks after former CM’s party announced alliance with the saffron outfit.
Union petroleum minister Hardeep Puri and health minister Mansukh Mandaviya were also in attendance, having reached the site a day ago.
Earlier, in the day, Punjab CM Charanjit Channi’s principal secretary Husan Lal was denied permission to receive the PM after his RTPCR report came positive.
“As a protocol, everyone who receives PM or meets him has to undergo RTPCR test,” said a Punjab government official.
“PM’s schedule and travel plan was communicated well in advance to Punjab government. Punjab had to make necessary arrangements for logistics, security as well as keep a contingency plan ready. Also in view of the contingency plan Punjab had to deploy additional security to secure any movement by road, which were clearly not deployed.
“After this security lapse, it was decided to head back to Bathinda airport,” said an official
MHA said it has taken cognisance of this serious security lapse and sought a detailed report from the state government. Punjab government has also been asked to fix responsibility for this lapse and take strict action.
