Channi-led Cong govt played with PM Modi’s security in Punjab: BJP

PTI, Aug 25, 2022, 8:30 PM IST

The previous Congress government in Punjab played with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security, the BJP said on Thursday after a Supreme Court-appointed committee gave its report on the security breach during his visit to Punjab in January.

Alleging a ”conspiracy”, party leader and Union minister Anurag Thakur said then chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and the director general of police ”were missing” during Modi’s visit.

On January 5, Modi’s convoy was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters in Ferozepur after which he returned from Punjab without attending any event. The top court on January 12 had appointed the committee to probe the breach, saying these questions cannot be left to ”one­-sided inquiries” as they needed ”judicially trained independent minds” to investigate.

In its report, the committee said the then Ferozepur senior superintendent of police failed to discharge his duty even though sufficient force was available.

”Prime Minister Modi’s convoy was stopped in the middle of a bridge, only 100 metres away from protesters and 10 km away from Pakistan. The Punjab Police remained a mute spectator and then chief minister Channi was taking instructions from his party bosses in Delhi,” Thakur said.

”Anything could have happened to the prime minister. Just two minutes were enough,” he said, pointing that Modi had to wait on the bridge for 20 minutes as Channi was busy on the call.