A day after the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Punjab visit, a state BJP delegation called on governor Banwarilal Purohit in Chandigarh on Thursday and demanded that deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, who holds the home portfolio, and acting police chief Sidharth Chattopadhyaya be sacked immediately for the lapse.
Also read: CCS takes up PM security breach in Punjab, PM to meet President
“It is a deep-rooted conspiracy in which the life of the country’s Prime Minister was at stake. We have demanded that the governor sack the state home minister and the DGP immediately,” Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma, who led the delegation of party leaders, told mediapersons outside Raj Bhawan.
Stating that the breach in PM Modi’s security was enough to prove that law and order had collapsed in Punjab, he said, “The way information about the route plan of the PM was leaked to the protesters and the manner in which our buses (carrying supporters to the rally) were not allowed to enter Ferozepur smell of a deep-rooted conspiracy by the Channi government. The response to this rally was a threat to the Congress.”
He said how could it be a coincidence that chief minister Channi, deputy chief ministers Randhawa and OP Soni and chief secretary Anirudh Tewari besides acting DGP Chattopadhyaya were not present to welcome the Prime Minister, which they have to according to the protocol.
{{/usCountry}}He said how could it be a coincidence that chief minister Channi, deputy chief ministers Randhawa and OP Soni and chief secretary Anirudh Tewari besides acting DGP Chattopadhyaya were not present to welcome the Prime Minister, which they have to according to the protocol.
{{/usCountry}}On the demand of President’s rule in the poll-bound border state, Sharma said: “This government has already been rejected by the people and the model code of conduct is likely to be in place in four-five days. This government is already on its way out.”
On Wednesday, the PM’s convoy was stuck for 15-20 minutes on a flyover 30km from Ferozepur due to a blockade by protesters. The Prime Minister, who was travelling by road from Bathinda airport to Ferozepur, had to call off the BJP rally in Ferozepur. Returning to Delhi, PM Modi said to state government officials at Bathinda airport: “Apne CM ko thanks kehna, ki me Bathinda airport tak zinda laut paya.”
Later, the BJP blamed the ruling Congress government for sabotaging the PM’s scheduled programme and for the major security lapse.