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By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday blamed Congress for the “major security lapse” in PM Narendra Modi’s convoy in Punjab and said the party owes an “apology to the people of India.”
“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,” Shah tweeted.
In another tweet Shah said, “The Ministry of Home Affairs has sought a detailed report on today’s security breach in Punjab. Such dereliction of security procedures in the PM’s visit is totally unacceptable and accountability will be fixed.”
In an statement earlier, the home ministry said “the road was blocked by some protesters.”
While the Centre did not specify who the agitators were, videos emerged on social media of people said to be farmers protesting against the now-repealed central agricultural laws allegedly blocking the road leading to Ferozepur.
The home ministry blamed the Punjab government for the security breach and said the PM’s schedule and travel plan was communicated well in advance and, as such, the state government has to make necessary arrangements for logistics, security as well as keep a contingency plan ready.
BJP supporters wait at the venue where the rally was scheduled to be held | pti
“As per procedure, they (the state authorities) have to make necessary arrangements for logistics, security as well as keep a contingency plan ready. Also, in view of the contingency plan, the Punjab government has to deploy additional security to secure any movement by road, which were clearly not deployed,” the ministry said.
Sources in the Central government also raised questions regarding protocol.
“Normally during a PM’s visit to any state, the chief minister, chief secretary and director general of police receive the PM and accompany him. Today, none of them was there. In fact, cars reserved for the chief secretary and the DGP were part of the PM’s cavalcade,” a senior government functionary said.
Another senior official said there appeared to be some sort of connivance between Punjab Police and the protestors.
“Only Punjab Police knew the precise route of the PM. Never has such police behaviour been witnessed. This is perhaps the biggest lapse in security of any Indian PM in recent years.”
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