Punjab Govt admits lapse in PM Modi's security; Dy CM concedes absence of alternate route

The Punjab Government on Wednesday admitted the major lapse in the security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that an 'alternative route' for him was supposed to be designated for his smooth passage but was not put in place. Speaking to Republic TV, Punjab's Dy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said that everyone was aware that the PM was supposed to be going via road and a security meeting was also organized between the SPG, Punjab Police, and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. However, he admitted that no contingency plan was put in place by the Punjab Government, as was supposed to be the protocol.

"I don't know if Channi Sahab has refused or not. I am not with him. Everyone knows PM Modi was going via road, there was nothing confidential about it, it was in the media. I don't know the development yet," he told Republic TV. 

"The SPG, Punjab Police was already holding so many meetings. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was also a part of that meeting. I am accepting an alternative route was to be there. It was not there, I am accepting, admitting the same," he added. 

Major lapse in security of PM Modi

In a massive development in Punjab on Wednesday, PM Modi was forced to skip his Ferozepur rally as his security was compromised after arriving in the state. He was scheduled to lay the foundation stone of projects worth more than Rs.42,750 crore including the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, Amritsar-Una section, Mukerian-Talwara New Broad Gauge railway line, PGI Satellite Centre at Ferozepur, and two medical colleges at Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur. On his first visit to Punjab after the repeal of the farm laws, he was set to flag off the campaign for the BJP-Punjab Lok Congress-SAD(Sanyukt) alliance. 

The problem started when the PM decided to travel to the National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainwala by road instead of the air route due to poor weather. As per the Ministry of Home Affairs, a major lapse was observed in the PM's security around 30 km from the destination as his convoy was stuck for 15-20 minutes due to a road blockade. In wake of additional security not being deployed by the Punjab government as a part of the contingency plan, the MHA added that PM Modi headed back to the Bathinda Airport. Moreover, it sought a detailed report from the Congress government in Punjab and demanded strict action. The Punjab DGP had given his go-ahead for the PM's travel via the road route which turned out to be obstructed. Visuals of the PM's convoy on the flyover have been accessed by Republic.