Election 2022 LIVE: The Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, which had put up the blockades on the way to PM’s rally since Tuesday, called off its protest after it was given time for an official meeting with the Prime Minister (ANI)2022 Assembly Election LIVE Updates: Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan will on Thursday brief the Election Commission on the latest Covid situation in the five poll-bound states, sources told PTI.
This will be the second time when Bhushan will brief the EC top brass on the emerging COVID-19 situation in the country and in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur in particular.
After PM Narendra Modi skipped a rally in Punjab on Wednesday over a security lapse that had him stuck on a bridge on way to Hussainiwala, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the Punjab government should apologise to the people of the country for the “serious lapse” in PM’s security.
Meanwhile, Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi claimed the “Prime Minister was not attacked and there was no threat to his life“. At a press conference, the CM said: “It was just an agitation. There was a peaceful protest on the way. This is wrong to say that there was a security lapse. There should not be any politics in this. We have respect for our PM.”
PM Modi skipped the rally in Punjab’s Ferozepur over security lapses, a statement by the Ministry of Home Affairs said.
THE ELECTION Commission (EC) on Wednesday reviewed poll preparedness in Manipur, focusing on the conduct of safe elections amid the pandemic.
With this, the EC has wrapped up the exercise of reviewing poll preparedness in all five states where Assembly elections are slated to be held in the next couple of months. The poll panel is expected to announce the election dates for the five states soon.
During the review meeting, Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra conveyed his concern to the Manipur Chief Secretary regarding the low vaccination rate in the state and asked for expediting it, the EC said in a statement.
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Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan will brief the Election Commission on the latest Covid situation in the five poll-bound states, sources told PTI.
This will be the second time when Bhushan will brief the EC top brass on the emerging COVID-19 situation in the country and in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur in particular.
Key to the unprecedented security breach involving the Prime Minister in Punjab Wednesday is how his cavalcade was, effectively, grounded for 15 minutes on a flyover en route to his destination, the Hussainiwala National Martyrs Memorial, 30 km away, and a subsequent rally.
The Indian Express spoke to several police, local officials and protesting farmers who blocked the road, to find that behind the breach was a series of lapses marked by crossed wires, the exigencies of politics and a failure by the state police and administration to respond as per protocol.
Result: the PM’s cavalcade remained stranded on the bridge for over 15 minutes before deciding to turn back around 1.20 pm.
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Over 14.66 lakh voters in the age group of 18-19 years will be exercising their franchise for the first time in this year's Uttar Pradesh.
A total of 52,80,882 voters' names have been added during revision of electoral rolls. The figure comprises 23,92,258 men, 28,86,988 women and 1,636 transgenders, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ajay Shukla said, while releasing the final electoral rolls here.
A total of 14,66,470 names were added in the age group of 18-19 which comprises 27.76 per cent of the total names added, he said. (PTI)
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said the accountability of the Special Protection Group (SPG) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) should be fixed first for the PM security breach incident in Punjab.
He said the two agencies are primarily responsible for the Prime Minister's security and the local police only work in coordination with them during the PM visit.
“It is a serious matter if any lapse in the security of the Prime Minister had indeed occurred. It is serious because the nation has lost two prime ministers, Indira Gandhi and then Rajiv Gandhi in the past,” he said. Gehlot said without the clearance of the SPG the convoy cannot move.
The SPG and IB give clearance for movement only after they are fully sure of the security arrangements, he said. (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vehicle was stationary for 15-20 minutes on a flyover on the way from Bathinda to Hussainiwala National Martyrs’ Memorial in Ferozepur on Wednesday (January 5) afternoon, after which his cavalcade returned to Bathinda airport. The extraordinary breach of the Prime Minister’s security was caused by protesters who had blocked the road ahead. But who were the protesters who held up PM Modi’s vehicle? Read explainer by Anju Agnihotri Chaba
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said the Punjab government should apologise to the people of the country for the "serious lapse" in the security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the state.
Modi's visit to poll-bound Punjab was cut short earlier in the day after a "major security lapse" as he was stranded on a flyover for 20 minutes, prompting the Union Home Ministry to seek an immediate report from the state government and strict action against those responsible.
Speaking to reporters about the incident, Adityanath said, "What has happened in Punjab is an example of the chaos and disorder prevailing in the state. The government of the Congress-ruled state should apologise to the people of the country for this."
"The Congress has always been contemptuous of the constitutional system of the country. The country has once again seen an example of this," he said. This kind of "serious lapse in security" of the prime minister is "unforgivable", he added. (PTI)
The Punjab unit of BJP Wednesday slammed Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cavalcade being stopped near Ferozepur and said it could not have happened without a sanction from the Chief Minister and his government. The saffron party also demanded Channi and his entire cabinet’s immediate resignation.
Addressing a press conference in Ferozepur after the PM had to return to Bathinda because of the protests, state BJP President Ashwani Sharma said that it is a matter of shame that the state government failed to provide adequate security to the Prime Minister.
Flanked by Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi and newly-joined leader of the party from Congress Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Sharma said, “The PM’s cavalcade had been blocked as part of a conspiracy. Buses filled with BJP supporters heading towards Ferozepur from various parts of the state were also stopped due to the same conspiracy.” Read more
"It's a conspiracy. It must be made sure that strong action will be taken against responsible persons. Attempt to suspend some junior officials will not solve the matter," says Union Minister & Punjab BJP in-charge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat while referring to PM Modi's "security breach" incident in Punjab. (ANI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, “Today’s Congress-made happening in Punjab is a trailer of how this party thinks and functions. Repeated rejections by the people have taken them to the path of insanity. The topmost echelons of the Congress owe an apology to the people of India for what they have done.”
“Never before in the history of our country, a state govt knowingly constructed a scenario where the PM will be brought to harm. We know Congress hates Modi, but today they tried to harm the PM of India,” says Union Minister & BJP leader Smriti Irani. (ANI)
"What has happened today is just not acceptable. It's against Panjabiyat. A secure passage for the Prime Minister of India to address BJP's political rally in Ferozpur should have been ensured. That’s how democracy works," tweets Punjab Congress leader Sunil Jakhar.
Though the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya continues to dominate poll-eve politics in Uttar Pradesh, the deity's subsequent incarnation Lord Krishna too has made an entry in the political arena with the ruling party and the opposition repeatedly invoking him.
So far, God Krishna's torchbearers have been the current and a previous chief minister, a deputy CM, Deputy Speaker of the legislative assembly, a state cabinet minister and Mathura MP Hema Malini.
UP's Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya stirred the cauldron on December 1, making a remark that seemed to suggest that the ruling BJP is “preparing” for a grand temple in Mathura -- after the temple projects in Ayodhya and Varanasi.
In recent months, right-wing Hindu outfits have moved local courts seeking the installation of a Krishna idol in Aurangzeb-era Shahi Idgah mosque, which they claim is the “actual birthplace” of the deity. The mosque is located close to the current Krishna temple in the “Janmasthan” complex in Mathura.
UP's Dairy Development, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary, who hails from Mathura, last month too appeared to indirectly lobby for a new temple or an expansion to the existing Mathura temple.
"If the Krishna temple is not built in Mathura, would it be built in Lahore," he said.
Krishna chants gained more currency when Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav invoked the deity. On Monday, he claimed that the deity comes to him in his dreams every night, telling the opposition leader that he would form the government in the upcoming assembly polls and establish a "Ram Rajya" in UP. (PTI)
Former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh tweets, “Complete failure of law and order in Punjab, CM and HM Punjab, in particular. When you cannot provide smooth passage to the Prime Minister of the country and that too just 10km from the Pakistan border, you have no right to stay in office and should quit!”
“It's a matter of shame that PM Modi's cavalcade was stopped by protesters on his way to launch development schemes for welfare of Punjab. This is a serious security lapse and the fact that the Punjab CM didn't address the issue makes matters even worse,” says Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma.
He adds, “While PM is going all out to ensure holistic development of Punjab, today's incident shows how Congress is least interested in development and only wants to play politics. Such a security breach in the crucial border state must be enquired at the highest levels.” (ANI)
Alleging security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab on Wednesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs has sought a report from the state government asking how the PM’s cavalcade was stranded on a flyover for over 15 minutes due to a protest, when his programme had been duly communicated to the state police.
“The PM’s schedule and travel plan was communicated well in advance to Punjab Government. As per procedure, they have to make necessary arrangements for logistics, security as well as keep a contingency plan ready. Also in view of the contingency plan Punjab Government has to deploy additional security to secure any movement by road, which were clearly not deployed,” the MHA said in a statement. Read more
BJP president J P Nadda accused the Congress government in Punjab on Wednesday of trying "all possible tricks to scuttle" Prime Minister Narendra Modi's programmes, including a rally, in the state.
Hitting out at the state government after Modi's rally was called off and another programme disrupted as protesters blocked his route breaching the security protocol, Nadda said what is extremely worrisome is that the incident was also a big security lapse.
"Protestors were given access to the Prime Minister's route while the Punjab CS (chief secretary) and DGP gave assurances to SPG that the route is clear. 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," he said in a tweet.
Nadda alleged that the state police was instructed to prevent people from attending Modi's rally and a large number of buses were stranded because of the high-handedness of the police in connivance with the protesters.
In doing so, they did not bother that the prime minister was to pay tributes to Bhagat Singh and other freedom fighters, and lay the foundation stone for key development works, the BJP president said. (PTI)
In view of the evolving Covid situation and rising number of new cases in Kolkata, BJP national president JP Nadda's scheduled visit to West Bengal on 9-10th January stands postponed, says the state's BJP unit. (ANI)
PM Modi was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes, says MHA
BJP national president J P Nadda tweets, “Fearing a resounding defeat at the hands of the electorate, the Congress Government in Punjab tried all possible tricks to scuttle the PM @narendramodi Ji’s programmes in the state.”