A three-member committee will probe the "serious lapses in the security arrangements" during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab, the Union Home Ministry said Thursday. The Punjab government had earlier announced its own inquiry into the security breach that saw PM Modi stuck on a flyover for 20 minutes, his route blocked by protesters.
The lapses in PM's security "led to the exposure of the VVIP to grave security risk," the Home Ministry said in a tweet announcing a separate investigation.
The three-member central probe will be led by Sudhir Kumar Saxena, Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat and includes Balbir Singh, Joint Director of Intelligence Bureau, and S Suresh, Inspector-General of SPG. The committee has been advised to submit its report at the earliest.
The Punjab government's panel, comprising retired Justice Mehtab Gill and Anurag Verma, Principal Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs, will submit a report within three days.
Visuals of the PM's motorcade stuck on a flyover in Punjab just 10 km from the venue of his scheduled rally in Ferozepur took the country by surprise with the BJP accusing the Punjab government of harbouring "murderous intent" towards the PM. The party alleged that the lapse was carefully engineered by the state in collaboration with the police and the protesting farmers.
The BJP has released what it says are "internal memos" of the Punjab Police, claiming they mention the last-minute changes in travel plan over bad weather and that "farmers are likely to hold dharnas... may result in roadblocks... please make necessary diversion plans".
The Congress in the state has ferociously defended its police in what has now snowballed into a political slugfest with just months left for the Assembly elections. The government of Chief Minister Charanjit Channi, who took the office just three months back, has been accused of not chalking out an alternate route despite the intelligence about protests by farmers. The Chief Minister has been accused of not responding to several SOS calls made by the PM's security detail.
The Congress, however, maintains that PM's travel plans were changed without the knowledge of the state police - in complete breach of protocol.
The state's trouble is far from over. A petition has now been filed before the Supreme Court calling for the dismissal of Punjab's Home Minister and the police chief. The top court will hear the matter tomorrow.
PM Modi was in the poll-bound state on Wednesday to dedicate projects worth Rs 42,000 crore to the people of Punjab. He landed in Bathinda in the morning from where he was scheduled to fly to Ferozepur - the venue of his rally. However, inclement weather forced a change in plans with PM Modi deciding to cover the 100 km distance by road - a two-hour drive.
10 km ahead of the venue, his cavalcade was met by protesting farmers, keeping the convoy along with the PM waiting on the bridge for 20 minutes. The PM finally turned back and cancelled his programmes.
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