The Prime Minister’s convoy held up in Punjab’s Ferozepur district on Wednesday. (Photo: PTI) A day after Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi denied there was a lapse in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security during his visit to Ferozepur, after which he cancelled his address at a rally, the state government Thursday ordered a two-member committee headed by retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice Mehtab Singh Gill to inquire into any gaps.
The Punjab Police also registered an FIR against unknown protesters over the blockade caused on the route the PM was taking, holding up his convoy for more than 15 minutes.
The committee, which includes Home Secretary Anurag Verma, has been asked to submit its report within three days.
Sources said AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had called up Channi and had a discussion with him over the issue for about 20 minutes. The call reportedly came minutes after Modi met President Ram Nath Kovind on the matter, while Channi was on his way to address a rally.
The Channi government decided to set up the inquiry, after denying a lapse on Wednesday, to preempt the Centre ordering a probe into the incident, sources said. It was also feared that the Supreme Court, which is set to hear the matter on Friday, might intervene.
At the same time, the view within the state administration is that police should not have agreed to the proposal by central security agencies that the PM travel over 100 km to the rally spot by road, after he couldn’t fly there due to bad weather.
“The inquiry will establish the facts. They will go through the SPG blue book (laying down broad guidelines regarding the PM’s protection) and the communication sent by the police headquarters to the field officers. Then we will see who is at fault. But what the SPG did cannot be ignored,” said a senior government functionary. “We were asked to keep our force ready at three helipads. The PM’s itinerary didn’t mention anywhere that an alternative route of over 100 km would be required. We posted heavy police force there… Everybody knew the weather forecast was not good… Still the rally was not cancelled… The central security agencies too cannot be exonerated. When the security was informed that there was a blockade, why was the PM’s vehicle kept waiting for 20 minutes? Who is to be blamed? Why did his vehicle not take a U-turn? Is that not the reaction expected from anyone’s security?” the official said.
Following the incident, the BJP as well as other Opposition parties have criticised the Channi government over the security breach, with the BJP alleging a conspiracy to cause harm to the PM.
Sources said Vadra also discussed the political situation arising out of the breach with Channi, including talk of President’s rule being imposed in the poll-bound state. “They also discussed how the narrative was being built by the BJP, with its supporters holding ‘peace marches’ as well as prayers ‘for the long life of the PM’,” said a leader.
Justice Gill has started the probe process by sending a questionnaire to police officers concerned, on how the PM’s routes were decided and who was manning them. A source said he would also go through the SPG blue book.
Asked about the probe, Justice Gill told The Indian Express: “I will first inquire into the matter and will say anything later.”
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