In the midst of a political altercation between the Centre and Punjab government, around six chief ministers of BJP-ruled states made brazen allegations of 'conspiracy' and the state government's purported collusion in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'security breach' on 5 January.
Modi’s cavalcade was stranded on a flyover on his way to Punjab’s Ferozepur after protesters blocked the road, leading him to cancel his visit to the region.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Wednesday, 12 January, alleged that Punjab CID DSP Sukhdev Singh was involved in the lapse in security, and went on to allege an international conspiracy involving Khalistanis.
"Punjab CID DSP Sukhdev Singh's voice was recorded in a sting operation, in which he is telling a senior SSP on 2 January about the conspiracy. When the incident took place on 5 January, the CID gave details over it to higher officials."Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister, Assam
He alleged that the Congress was “directly involved” in the “international conspiracy”, and the people blocking the PM's way were “Khalistanis”, not farmers, The Indian Express reported.
Addressing a press conference, Sarma implied the involvement of Pakistan in the conspiracy. Saying that the PM's motorcade was only few kilometres away from the border, he added that "it was in the range of drones, missiles and snipers" and "the Punjab government did not protect the PM".
Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb echoed these concerns, invoking the name of Khalistanis again.
'Pre-planned, Sponsored Conspiracy': Yogi, Others Weigh in
Meanwhile, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the PM’s security breach during his visit to Punjab was a "pre-planned, sponsored conspiracy".
He said, "The Punjab government didn't follow the protocol. Drone or any attack might have happened there, but the Punjab government ignored all this. The Congress should apologise to the country.”
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also went on to allege that the breach was “pre-planned” and “sponsored", The Indian Express reported.
"It could be said that this was not just a mistake but a massive conspiracy. The way they tried to harm the Prime Minister, this was not spontaneous, but a premeditated, sponsored conspiracy," said Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami. However, no evidence was put forward to back his bold claims.
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar added that the “sting operation” indicated that “clear instructions were given to farmer leaders on how to block the routes”, and called the negligence shown by the state government 'extremely shameful'.
"The manner in which the Prime Minister’s life was put in danger is highly condemnable,” the CM reportedly said.
This barrage of allegations, however, come even as several questions have already been raised regarding the security lapse and those who actually appear (in videos of the incident) to have come near the PM's cavalcade.
Background
The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, had announced that former apex court judge Justice Indu Malhotra would head an independent committee to probe the security lapse during PM Modi's visit to Punjab.
"We are of the opinion that these questions can't be left to one-sided inquiry," Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said, reading out from the court's order.
PM Modi, who had been scheduled to address a rally and launch multiple projects in Punjab on 5 January, 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 protesters.
"The PM was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes. This was a major lapse in the security of the PM," as per the MHA.
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