PM's Ferozepur Visit: Punjab Govt Sets Up Committee to Probe 'Security Lapse'

The Ministry of Home Affairs has indicated that the PM's convoy had been stuck on a flyover for nearly 20 minutes.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/Aditya Raj Kaul)

A day after the Home Ministry claimed that a "major security lapse" had occurred during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Ferozepur, the Punjab government on Thursday, 6 January, constituted a high-level committee to probe the matter.

"To carry out thorough probe into the lapses that occurred during PM Narendra Modi's visit to Ferozepur yesterday, the Punjab government has constituted a high level committee comprising Justice (Retd) Mehtab Singh Gill and Principal Secretary, Home Affairs and Justice Anurag Verma," the state government announced.

The committee will submit its report in three days.

Punjab BJP 'Rejects' Committee, Delegation Meets Governor

Meanwhile, a delegation led by Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma met Governor Banwari Lal Purohit at the Raj Bhavan over the matter.

Speaking to the media after the meet, Sharma said that he requested the Governor to suspend the Home Minister and and the DGP of Punjab and asked who had leaked the Prime Minister's route.

"We reject the committee set up by the Punjab government to investigate the matter. This committee formed by the Chief Minister will never be able to find out anything because he himself is the ringleader of this conspiracy," Sharma said, as quoted by ANI.

What Had Happened

Prime Minister Modi, who had been scheduled to address a rally in Punjab on Wednesday, had returned to the Bhatinda airport cutting his visit to the state short, after a 'security lapse.'

In a statement, the MHA declared that around 30 km away from the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala, the PM’s convoy, which was on a flyover, couldn't proceed further as the road was blocked by some protesters.

As per reports, the protestors, belonging to Kisan Mazdoor Sangrash Committee (KMSC), were staging a demonstration against the PM's visit.
"The PM was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes. This was a major lapse in the security of the PM," the statement read.

The press release stated further: "The MHA has taken cognisance of this serious security lapse and has sought a detailed report from the state government. The state government has also been asked to fix responsibility for this lapse and take strict action."

The Congress, however, disputed the BJP's security-related allegations. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, on his part, expressed regret over the PM's sudden exit from Ferozepur, but also said:

"If PM has said something out of anger or due to politics, I won't comment on it. But I will say one thing, you're our PM. As a Punjabi I would lay down my life to protect you. But there was no danger to his (PM Modi's life) life."