CHANDIGARH, Jan 5: Senior Congress leader from Punjab Sunil Jakhar on Wednesday said a secure passage to the Prime Minister should have been provided for addressing his rally in Ferozepur.
He also said, “what has happened today is just not acceptable.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to poll-bound Punjab was cut short after his convoy was stranded due to a blockade by protesters, with the BJP blaming the Congress Government for the security lapse.
The Congress claimed that it was because of a low turnout at the rally, but Jakhar, who is the party’s former State unit president, expressed dismay over the events.
“What has happened today is just not acceptable. It’s against Panjabiyat. A secure passage for the Prime Minister of India to address BJP’s political rally in Ferozpur should have been ensured. That’s how democracy works,” said Jakhar in a tweet.
His remarks come amid infighting in the Punjab unit.
Modi, who landed in Bathinda and had to take the road route to Hussainiwala in Ferozepur because of the inclement weather, was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes due to blockade by some protesters, an incident the Union Home Ministry described as a “major lapse” in his security.
In a statement, the Home Ministry said after the “major security lapse” in the Prime Minister’s travel in Punjab, his convoy decided to return.
The Ministry also asked the Punjab Government to fix responsibility for the lapse and take strict action, the statement said.
The Prime Minister was scheduled to lay the foundation stones of development projects worth over Rs 42,750 crore, including the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway and a PGIMER satellite centre.
The projects also included four-laning of the Amritsar-Una section, Mukerian-Talwara broad gauge railway line and two new medical colleges at Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur. (PTI)
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