New Delhi, Jan 6: The row over security lapses surrounding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab has reached the Supreme Court, and the matter is likely to be heard on Friday. Meanwhile, the Punjab Govt. has set up a team to investigate and file a report in three days.
The Supreme Court has been asked to hold the Punjab Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police responsible and suspend them pending departmental action. “It has to be ensured this doesn’t happen again,” the petitioner said in his plea.
Senior advocate Maninder Singh placed the matter before Chief Justice N.V. Ramana, who agreed to hear the matter on Friday.
Maninder Singh urged the court to take up urgently a writ petition seeking a judicial probe into the security lapse which saw scores of protesters mass on a flyover blocking Modi’s motorcade when he was on his way to Hussainiwala from Bhatinda.
“What is it that you’re expecting from us,” the Chief Justice asked Maninder Singh.
“It has to be ensured that this is not repeated,” Maninder Singh said and sought a professional and effective investigation into the incident which occurred on Wednesday.
“The record has to be taken by the District Judge, and thereafter your Lordships may decide what steps are to be taken. Please consider passing an order today itself,” Maninder Singh pleaded.
Chief Justice Ramana wanted a copy to be served to the Punjab government and said the apex court would take up the matter on Friday.
ON the other hand, the Punjab government – under fire from the BJP with an election due in less than two months – has formed a two-member panel. Justice Mehtab Gill, a retired judge, and Anurag Verma, Principal Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs and Justice, will submit a report within three days.
A massive row broke out on Wednesday when Prime Minister Modi, who was on his way to Ferozepur for an election rally, was stopped for 20 minutes on a flyover. His convoy, was travelling the 100 km from Bathinda to the rally by road after bad weather grounded his helicopter – was blocked by protesting farmers. He was stopped 10 km from the venue.
This morning the Home Ministry criticised Punjab Police for failing to prepare a contingency route for the PM’s visit, in line with protocol. This was necessary given existing intel about protesting farmers in the area, a ministry official said. Normally the SPG remains near the Prime Minister while state police sanitise routes and check for possible threats in the area.
“As per the Blue Book, the state police has to prepare a contingency route for the protected in case of any adverse situation like the one in Punjab during the PM’s visit,” an official form the Home Ministry told.
Questions have been raised, however, over the events that led to the convoy getting stuck on that flyover. This includes the big point – why was he on an unsanitised route?
Union Minister Smriti Irani has led the chorus of political attacks on the Congress, accusing the party of “a murderous conspiracy to kill the PM”. The Congress has hit back by asking if protocol was followed in this case. Party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala pointed out that elaborate arrangements had been made but the route the Prime Minister was not part of the original schedule.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot chipped in, pointing out that responsibility lay ultimately with the SPG.
Chief Minister Channi, whom BJP chief JP Nadda accused of deliberately not fielding SOS calls, has refuted any such charge. “As a Punjabi, I would die to protect you (the Prime Minister) …but there was no danger to his life. There was no security breach,” he stressed.
