The Congress and the Punjab government on Wednesday dismissed the allegations of a security lapse or a threat to Narendra Modi’s life, and asked the BJP not to lower the dignity of the Prime Minister’s office through petty politicking or trying to find excuses for lack of crowds.
“We regret that the Prime Minister had to turn back because of a blockade on the road,” chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi said at a news conference, but stressed that it would be wrong to link a peaceful protest to a security threat.
“There was no risk or threat to the Prime Minister, no security lapse. Farmers have been protesting. Till late last night, we were up trying to persuade farmers who had occupied roads to vacate them, and we succeeded. We got the roads vacated for people who would be attending the rally.
“According to the programme his team had given us, the Prime Minister was not to go by road at all. He was to travel by helicopter but on the spot, the decision to drive down was taken. Protesters occupied a road that the Prime Minister was not even scheduled to take. It would have taken 10-15-20 minutes to move them. So the Prime Minister’s convoy was stopped far behind the blockade and advised to turn back and take another route. But the Prime Minister decided to cancel and go back.”
“There was no risk to the Prime Minister,” Channi repeated, adding dramatically: “He is our Prime Minister. If there were a threat to his life, I would shed my blood before his (could be shed). This is how Punjabis are.”
Congress communications chief Randeep Surjewala said: “The BJP and central ministers should not make wild allegations. They are lowering the dignity of the Prime Minister’s office by this political drama. The Prime Minister’s security is not a partisan issue. None of our governments will compromise on the Prime Minister’s security.”
Channi said protests were common at election time and that he himself faced one while returning from the cabinet meeting on Tuesday night. Some people occupied a road he was travelling on, so he turned back and took another route home, the chief minister said. Chandigarh is under the Union Territory police, so should he then say that there was a security lapse or a threat to his life, Channi asked.
At one point, he said of Modi’s Ferozepur rally: “They had arranged 70,000 chairs at the rally venue but only 700 people came.”
Surjewala said the Prime Minister could have waited for a while as the blockade was being cleared but he decided to turn back, using it as an excuse to avoid an empty venue.
“What can we do if farmers come onto the road and block it? The Prime Minister wasn’t supposed to travel by road at all. When we came to know of the blockade, reasonable force was being used to evict them. What should have been done? Should the police have shot the farmers dead?” the Congress’s chief spokesperson asked.
“The BJP was aware of the protests and its Punjab in-charge, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, held two rounds of talks with them. Around 10,000 policemen had been deployed for his (Modi’s) security only because of the farmers’ protest. The Prime Minister should introspect why farmers are protesting against him,” Surjewala said.
He added: “Farmers have certain demands: One, sack minister of state for home Ajay Mishra Teni whose son is accused of mowing down farmers in Lakhimpur. Two, withdraw cases filed against the farmers during the (yearlong) protests (at Delhi’s borders). Three, give compensation to the families of dead farmers. Four, constitute a committee to decide on MSP.
“The BJP should also introspect instead of levelling false accusations. Was there any attack on Modi? Are farmers or the people of Punjab terrorists? What breach of security happened?”
Asked about the claim that Modi told a security officer to thank the Punjab chief minister because he was returning alive, Surjewala said: “Has the Prime Minister said so? Don’t spread misinformation based on ‘WhatsApp university’ gossip. We reject such insinuations about a threat to the Prime Minister’s life when there was nothing as such. No security scare, no lapse, no attack.”
Arguing that creating hollow noise on the Prime Minister’s security was dangerous, the Congress spokesperson said: “The BJP should not make excuses for failed rallies and create a sympathy factor in the Uttar Pradesh elections as they have nothing to lose in Punjab.
“Prime Ministers have been brave leaders. Two shots were fired when Rajiv Gandhi went to Raj Ghat for a function but he did not run away. He completed the function. Stones were thrown at Indira Gandhi at a Bhubaneswar meeting. Her nose was injured but she stayed in the front.”
