Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has sparked a controversy over his statement that he had briefed party leader Priyanka Gandhi on whatever happened during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s National General Secretary Tarun Chugh on Sunday slammed Channi and said that it is unfortunate that a person holding a constitutional position is reporting to a person who has no authority over PM Modi's security breach.
Calling Channi a shameless person, Chugh said, "He made the Prime Minister stand at a distance of just 20 kms from the Pakistan border within the range of the enemy's tanks."
"But Channi has not responded on the matter yet," he said.
"I am surprised that he is reporting to Priyanka Gandhi ji. I want to ask Channi sahib...who is Priyanka Gandhi ji... which constitutional post she hold? A CM is saying that he has informed Priyanka Gandhi about the people involved in the conspiracy," the BJP leader said while hitting out at the strange administrative behavior of the chief minister.
He further alleged that Congress High command is behind the conspiracy of the PM's security breach.
"The conspiracy is connected to Punjab's Chief Minister's residence and Congress High Command, who had given Channi a task to bring PM Modi to a place where his life will be at risk and he is reporting them," he said.
"It is unfortunate that a person holding a constitutional position is reporting to a person who has no authority. Congress has been insulting Constitutional posts from the very beginning," he added.
Channi earlier on Saturday said that there was "no threat" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the state, and the Prime Minister was "completely safe" when his convoy was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes on his way to National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala.
Channi had also said that he had briefed party leader Priyanka Gandhi "on whatever happened here".
"I am again saying there was no threat to the PM here, it was not there, will not be there. He was completely safe. His security was around him. No one went near him, for one kilometre no one came near him...I had a conversation with Priyanka Gandhiji and I had briefed her on whatever happened here," he told ANI.
Meanwhile, Union Home Ministry has sought a report from the Punjab Government on the security breach during the Prime Minister's visit to Punjab.
The Prime Minister's convoy was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes due to road blockage by some protestors about 30 km away from the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala.
The Prime Minister was to visit Ferozepur and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 42,750 crore. After the security lapse, it was decided to head back to Bathinda Airport.
Channi said security force personnel came in sizeable numbers during the visit of the Prime Minister.
"I am tired of asking, what security threat was there to PMji? There were no protestors within the one km range of the Prime Minister, there were 6000 security personnel, IB, and SPG for PM's security. He is Prime Minister of the biggest democracy. What danger could have been?" Channi asked.
Congress leaders have spoken in different voices on the security breach.
Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jhakhar has said that a secure passage for the Prime Minister of India to address BJP's political rally in Ferozpur should have been ensured.
( With inputs from ANI )
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