PM Modi’s rally was cancelled due to empty chairs, not security breach: Congress hits back at BJP

The Congress said on Wednesday that the BJP’s criticism of the Punjab government regarding what the Centre called a security breach involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s convoy was a “political drama”. There was no security breach, said the Congress, adding that the reason the PM returned without holding his scheduled rally at Ferozepur was low attendance at the venue.

“Punjab witnessed an unprecedented political drama by the BJP, which has loss written on its face. The BJP has been rejected by the people of Punjab and is being rejected by the people of UP and also other election-going states. Fearing complete wipeout in the five states, the BJP has tried to create a political drama of a so-called breach in the security of the Prime Minister. We reject the charge completely and comprehensively,” Congress communication department head Randeep Surjewala said at a press conference.

However, senior Congress leader Sunil Jakhar, who is also the head of the party’s campaign committee, said “what has happened today is just not acceptable. It is against Panjabiyat. A secure passage for the Prime Minister of India to address BJP’s political rally in Ferozepur should have been ensured. That’s how democracy works.”

Surjewala, meanwhile, said the Congress-led Punjab government had deployed 10,000 security personnel for the PM’s rally in Ferozepur.

“The Prime Minister was to travel to Ferozepur in a helicopter… As there were hardly any people at the rally venue…, and when the Prime Minister and the BJP came to know about it…, they were deeply unnerved. And in order to gain some more time or to find an excuse, the Prime Minister decided at the last minute to travel by road to Hussainiwala and then to the rally venue.

“Necessary route was again deployed by the Punjab Police… As the Prime Minister was proceeding, the farmers of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, a few hundred of them, blocked the road. As the police were clearing them, the Prime Minister’s motorcade had to wait for about 15 minutes. The Prime Minister did not wait, returned and then said it was a security breach… What should the police have done? … If the farmers suddenly came and they blocked the road to protest against the Prime Minister and the BJP…, should they have been shot dead? … or should the police have physically removed them as they were trying to do?” Surjewala asked.

“To do anything else is unreasonable. How is that a security breach? And that also when the Prime Minister was not supposed to travel by road. He decided so at the last minute… The rally was actually cancelled because there were empty chairs and there was nobody there to listen to the Prime Minister,” he said.

Surjewala said the SPG, which protects the Prime Minister, should have advised him not to take the road journey “when there were no advance arrangements made”.

Surjewala said the police were clearing the protesters using “reasonable force”.

“But the Prime Minister got an opportunity, the BJP got an opportunity, to cancel the rally. We would urge the BJP and the government…, let’s play politics but let’s not bring down the prestige of the office of the Prime Minister… The Prime Minister is welcome to come to Punjab. We will ensure all security… The Congress has sacrificed prime ministers… We know how important the security of the Prime Minister is,” he said.

Asked about Youth Congress president Srinivas B V’s “Modi ji, How’s the Josh?” tweet, Surjewala said, “No Congress person should be tweeting or commenting upon the rally in this fashion. But I also take strong exception to the intemperate language bordering on political instability being used by a Union minister. While I reject the Twitter remark made by a Youth Congress leader, I also condemn the highly intemperate remarks made by a Union minister at the BJP press conference today.”

On reports that Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi did not respond to SOS calls, Surjewala said the Punjab government could not be blamed for a last-minute change of route by the PM. “The SPG is solely responsible for the Prime Minister’s security. Other agencies merely support it. The SPG had to make an assessment as to whether the PM should take that route. The Punjab government was merely informed that the Prime Minister would now travel by road and arrangements were made accordingly,” he said. (Agencies)