PM Modi briefs President Kovind on security breach during his Punjab visit

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 6

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met President Ram Nath Kovind here and apprised him of Wednesday's developments in Punjab.

Earlier, the President expressed concern over the breach in the Prime Minister’s security detail during the Punjab visit on Wednesday, official sources said even as the state constituted a committee to probe the lapses and a political slugfest on the issue continued.

Called on Rashtrapati Ji. Thankful to him for his concern. Grateful for his good wishes, which are always a source of strength. @rashtrapatibhvn pic.twitter.com/g6Unl8WCJJ

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 6, 2022

The Home Ministry, meanwhile, is awaiting the response of the Punjab government before fixing responsibility in the matter and has called for strictest action against those responsible.

President Ram Nath Kovind met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan today and received from him a first-hand account of the security breach in his convoy in Punjab yesterday. The President expressed his concerns about the serious lapse. pic.twitter.com/lzvAuriuGb

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 6, 2022

The developments came even as former prime minister HD Devegowda termed as unfortunate the controversy over PM’s security breach and cautioned against complacency in protecting the highest official of the state.

The BJP, meanwhile, has met Punjab governor and demanded the sacking of DGP Sidharth Chattopadhyay and Home Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa.

The matter is set to assume a major political colour on the eve of elections to Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Punjab with the BJP set to project the Congress as a “Modi hater which tried to bring harm to the PM by exposing him for over 15 minutes at an elevated road in Punjab’s Ferozepur yesterday”, as already stated by Union minister Smriti Irani.

The Congress has rejected the charges of security breach.

Party chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “The BJP is enacting a political drama because of thin attendance at the PM’s rally. Is it our job to arrange crowds for the rally? See the BJP duplicity and doublespeak: When PM Modi’s convoy is stuck in traffic in Gautam Budh Nagar on 25th December, 2017; it’s ok and there is no security breach. When the PM’s convoy gets stuck in Delhi on 15th September, 2018 the BJP puts it out on its twitter and hails it! But as PM changed his route last minute and travels by road and a delay of 15 minutes happens in clearing the farmers it is projected as endangering his life. Did anyone attack PM’s convoy? Isn’t the BJP insulting three crore Punjabis by such false bogey? He is India’s PM not BJP’s. Stop the fake noise.”

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