Cars reserved for Punjab Chief Secretary, DGP were part of PM Modi's cavalcade, they decided to skip: Sources

With "major lapse" occurring in security during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab on Wednesday as he was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes due to blockage by some protestors, government sources said the state Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and DGP normally receive the Prime Minister during his visit to any state and accompany him and "neither of them were there today".

Government sources said in fact cars reserved for Chief Secretary and DGP were part of the Prime Minister's cavalcade and asked if the "top officers of the state had an inkling of what was going to happen and hence decided to skip?"

"Normally during a PM visit to any state, the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and DGP are there to receive the PM and accompany him. Today neither of the three were there," a government source said.

The Home Ministry has taken cognisance of the "serious security lapse" and has sought a detailed report from the Punjab government. The state government has also been asked to fix responsibility for this lapse and take strict action.

The Home Ministry said in a statement that PM Modi landed at Bathinda on Wednesday morning from where he was to go to the National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala by helicopter.

Due to rain and poor visibility, the Prime Minister waited for about 20 minutes for the weather to clear out.The statement said that when the weather did not improve, it was decided that he would visit the National Martyrs Memorial via road, which would take more than two hours. The Prime Minister proceeded to travel by road after necessary confirmation of necessary security arrangements by the DGP Punjab Police.

Around 30 kms away from the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala, when the Prime Minister's convoy reached a flyover, it was found that the road was blocked by some protestors.

The Prime Minister was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes.

"This was a major lapse in the security of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister's schedule and travel plan were communicated well in advance to the Punjab Government. As per procedure, they have to make necessary arrangements for logistics, security as well as keep a contingency plan ready," the statement said."Also in view of the contingency plan, the Punjab Government has 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," it added.

Government sources also said what was witnessed on the flyover was "a surprising scene of connivance between Punjab police and so called protestors".

They said only Punjab police knew the precise route of the PM and "never has such police behavior been witnessed". PM Modi was scheduled to visit Ferozepur on Wednesday to lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 42,750 crore.

BJP leaders slammed the Punjab government for the "security breach".Party chief JP Nadda said it is sad that the PM's visit to launch development projects worth thousands of crores for Punjab was disrupted.

"But we will not let such cheap mentality hinder the progress of Punjab and will continue the effort for the development of Punjab," he said in a tweet.

"The state police was instructed to prevent people from attending the rally. A large number of buses were stranded because of the high-handedness of the police & connivance with protestors," he added.

Nadda also slammed Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and said he "refused to get on the phone".

"To make matters worse, CM Channi refused to get on the phone to either address the matter or solve it. The tactics used by the Congress government in Punjab would pain anyone who believes in democratic principles," Nadda said.

( With inputs from ANI )

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