PM Security Breach: Punjab Government Told Farmers to Block PM Modi's Convoy, Says Khattar

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar accused the Punjab government of endangering Prime Minister Narendra Modi's life by urging farmer leaders to obstruct the route of his convoy to Ferozepur on Wednesday. 

Khattar made the assertion in the wake of a TV news channel sting operation on the breach of PM Modi's security, which supposedly showed the "SHO" of the relevant Punjab police station informing the channel that he was told "to block the crowd and roads" and "he carried out these instructions." 

In a Haryana government statement, Khattar was quoted as saying that "the CID (Punjab) has also warned that an alternate route might have to be arranged in the wake of bad weather conditions." 

"Instead of making arrangements, the Punjab government provided clear instructions to farmer leaders on how to block the Prime Minister's path. They have put his life in danger by doing so "Haryana's chief minister said in a statement. 

Khattar and state Home Minister Anil Vij had already chastised the Channi government for PM Modi's security breakdown, citing a 'sting' conducted by a TV channel which supposedly showed certain Punjab Police officials telling the channel that they had told their superiors about protesters blocking the route of PM Modi's cavalcade but no action was taken. 

"During a sting operation for a national news channel, it was discovered that there was a CID report warning about bad weather, and thus an alternate route should be arranged. 

"Prime Minister Shri @narendra modi ji's life was deliberately put in danger, I strongly condemn it," Mr Khattar said in a tweet in Hindi earlier. "I strongly condemn that the Prime Minister's security was jeopardized," he later declared in a statement issued by the state administration. 

Referring to his previous demand for the dismissal of the Channi government and the convening of Punjab assembly elections under President Rule, he stated, "It has come to light as a result of a sting operation that an SHO is telling how he was told to block the crowd and roads. He carried out these instructions". 

Referring to the TV channel's sting operation, Vij told reporters, "There is no doubt in the minds of the public that the Prime Minister was stopped by a conspiracy of the Punjab government." 

PM Modi's visit to Punjab on January 5 was cut short when he was stranded for 20 minutes on a flyover near Ferozepur due to a protester blockade. 

Following the security breach, PM Modi's convoy opted to return without attending an event which included paying tributes at a victims' memorial at Hussainiwala and launching development projects.

In addition, the prime minister was unable to attend a rally in Ferozepur. 

Channi has been insisting that there was no threat to PM Modi. The Congress party has suggested that the decision to cut short the prime minister's trip was caused by the alleged thin attendance at his rally. 

The Supreme Court has constituted a panel to investigate the entire incident.