PM Modi security lapse: MHA serves show cause notice to SSP Bathinda, demands response by Saturday
The officer has been asked to reply by Saturday in writing to the Home Ministry to the notice served to him on Friday.
FollowThe Ministry of Home Affairs probing the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ferozepur, Punjab has issued a show cause notice to SSP Bathinda and asked him to submit his response in a day.
Archana Varma, Deputy Secretary to the Centre, has stated that since there was grave security lapse during the PM’s visit, the Bathinda SSP is directed to ‘show cause’ as to why action should not be initiated against him under the law including disciplinary action under All India Services (Discipline and Appeal), Rules, 1969, the acts of omission and commission.
The officer has been asked to reply by Saturday in writing to the Home Ministry to the notice served to him on Friday.
Government sources have said, “Normally during a PM visit to any state, the CM, Chief Secretary, and DGP are there to receive the PM and accompany him. Today neither of the 3 were there. In fact, cars reserved for the Chief Secretary and DGP were part of the PM’s cavalcade. The question remains whether the top officers of the state had an inkling of what was going to happen and hence decided to skip?”
Government sources said, “What was witnessed on the flyover was a surprising scene of connivance between Punjab police and so called protestors. Only Punjab police knew the precise route of the Prime Minister. Never has such police behaviour been witnessed. This is the single biggest lapse in security of any Indian Prime Minister in recent years."
Prime Minister Modi was in Punjab on Wednesday to dedicate projects worth Rs 42,000 crore to the people. He landed in Bathinda in the morning from where he was scheduled to fly to Ferozepur for a rally. However, bad weather forced a change in plans and PM Modi decided to cover the 100km distance by road - a two-hour drive.
Just 10km ahead of the venue, his cavalcade was met by protesting farmers, keeping the convoy along with the PM waiting on the bridge for 20 minutes. They finally had to turn back with the PM reportedly telling airport officials to “thank their Chief Minister" that he made it alive to the airport.
