AAP calls PM Modi's security lapse 'unacceptable'; says differences must be kept aside

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has issued its statement on the alleged lapse in security that Prime Minister Narendra Modi underwent in Punjab on Wednesday. AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha took to Twitter to condemn the incident and said that state governments must provide the highest level of security to the PM despite their differences. "Any lapse in security of the Prime Minister is unacceptable. Whatever our differences may be, every State Government must provide the highest level of security for the Prime Minister", Chadha wrote in his tweet.

A heated back and forth between political parties has ensued after PM Modi's envoy was blocked on its way to the National Martyrs Memorial by protestors and got stuck for 15-20 minutes at a flyover near Hussainiwala, in Ferozepur district. Many political leaders including those from BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) rained down criticism on Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi's government. 

Congress faces ire over security lapse

The issue of security lapse has taken a serious turn as former Punjab CM Captain Amrinder Singh is demanding resignation from CM Channi over his alleged failure to comply with PM's security protocols. Calling the lapse 'unfortunate', Capt. Singh said that both Channi and state Home Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa should be immediately sacked and the government should be dismissed.

BJP's JP Nadda had earlier alleged that the Punjab officials had provided misleading information saying that the PM Modi route was clear when it was jammed by the protestors. He even accused CM Channi of not receiving the Centre's phone call and giving free access to protestors. Moreover, the Ministry of Home affairs even revealed that the state government was given all information about PM Modi's route but still failed to put security into place.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala had denied that there was, in fact, any lapse in security and instead listed the preparations by Channi's government. "All arrangements were made in tandem with SPG and other agencies. The route was carved even for all buses of BJP workers from Haryana/Rajasthan. But, PM Modi later decided to take a road journey to Hussainiwala. It was not part of his original schedule to travel by road", he wrote in his tweet.

Surjewala's statement is rather contradictory as Punjab's Dy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa had admitted to a security failure, in an interview with Republic Media Network. "All arrangements were made in tandem with SPG and other agencies. The route was carved even for all buses of BJP workers from Haryana/Rajasthan. But, PM Modi later decided to take a road journey to Hussainiwala. It was not part of his original schedule to travel by road", he had said.

Image: Republic World