By PTI
HYDERABAD: Referring to the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday alleged that the Congress party could not compete with the BJP in elections and hence put Modi’s life “under threat”.
Chouhan was here to attend an event organised to welcome Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar following his release from Karimnagar prison.
“What happened in Punjab has never happened in India’s history. The Prime Minister went to Punjab and providing security (to the PM) is the responsibility of the State government. When Prime Ministers even from Congress visited (our state) we used to make all necessary arrangements,” he said.
Speaking about BJP’s ‘sanskar’, Chouhan recalled that when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister and he as a Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh had been to the United States then a journalist there asked him that “your Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is an underachiever”.
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“My reply was not Congress (Prime Minister). India’s Prime Minister can never be an underachiever and it is our pride. That was my answer. But, what has happened to them (Congress). Madam Sonia Gandhi is so scared that they cannot compete (in elections). So, put the Prime Minister’s life under threat. Play with national security. Has such a thing ever happened in the history of the country,” the senior BJP leader asked. The DGP, Chief Secretary and the Chief Minister (of Punjab) were not there, he said.
The Madha Pradesh Chief Minister said though the way and the circumstances under which the Punjab government kept Prime Minister (PM’s convoy was stranded on a flyover in Ferozepur) on the flyover for 20 minutes, nothing happened to Modi due to the prayers and blessings of crores of Indians and sought to know is this politics.
The Prime Minister, who was travelling by road in Punjab on Wednesday, was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes due to a blockade by some protesters, an incident the Union Home Ministry described as a “major lapse” in his security.
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Chouhan further attacked Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao over his reported comments against Prime Minister Modi and said : “KCR (as Rao is also referred to) calls him (Modi) a salesman. Modi ji enhanced India’s stature globally and he (KCR) passes comments on him. They cannot compete (in elections)”.
He also took a swipe at KCR saying “it is your second term while I am in the fourth term”. Chouhan claimed KCR cannot stop BJP from coming into power in 2023 Assembly elections in Telangana by sending the saffron party leaders to prison.
He also critcised KCR over the recent arrest of Sanjay Kumar, Lok Sabha member from Karimnagar.
Sanjay Kumar, whose planned protest was foiled on Sunday for alleged violation of COVID-19 guidelines, was arrested on various charges including violation of provisions of the Disaster Management Act and Indian Penal Code Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant), police said.
He was sent to 14-day judicial remand but was subsequently granted bail by the Telangana High Court and released on Wednesday.
