If there's one person who found himself at the centre of the PM security lapse and under sudden spotlight, then it's been Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi. Finding himself obliged to clarify things and answer a few key questions, he held a live press conference on Thursday morning.
At the beginning of the conference, he got a few things right out of the way, "He is the PM of our country. We respect our PM. This is a democratic federal system. His security is our responsibility. I was to receive him in Bathinda as per the schedule and attend a meeting with him in Ferozepur too."
Why he couldn't go to receive him
Continued Channi, "But a day before we were to meet him, as per the protocol, we got ourselves Covid tested and my principal secretary and one of my PA came Covid positive. We informed his office immediately and were told to stay away."
Last minute changes, no prior intimation
While sharing details of the programme, Channi said, "We received minute-to-minute programme from his office, regarding his routes, his seating arrangement, people next to him, who were to be seated next to him in a helicopter etc. From Bhatinda to Ferozepur, three helipads were made so he could get off anywhere. But nowhere was it mentioned or we informed that he will be travelling by road."
Money spent on PM's security
Regardless of the parties, protocols must be observed. Hence, the first question that arises is how could PM's security lapse happen?
In the Budget 2020, the government further increased allocation for the Special Protection Group (charged with protecting the Prime Minister) from Rs 540 crore to Rs 600 crore. Considering the Prime Minister is the only person protected by the 3,000-strong Special Protection Group (SPG), the lapse is all the more annoying and questionable.
What non-BJP parties have said on the issue?
The incident has kickstarted a political row with Congress and other parties blaming the BJP for staged protests over "empty chairs" and BJP blaming Congress for "trying to physically harm the PM." BJP leader Smriti Irani has described it as the "khooni intent of the Congress."
Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the Prime Minister had to cancel his rally in Ferozepur as, "there was no crowd at the event."
In the meanwhile, TRS working President K.T Rama Rao has taken a dig at the security lapse and said, that Modi is "anti farmer" and said that Punjab incident is reflective of his stance in the country today.
AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha has said that every state government should provide the highest level of security to the Prime Minister. And that PM's security breach was "just not acceptable."
Where does the buck stop?
Three days before the scheduled visit of the PM to any part of the country, the SPG holds a mandatory Advance Security Liaison with every single person involved in securing the tour and event, which is Intelligence Bureau, state police, district magistrate.
Everything is planned down to micro detail and the itinerary is stuck to. How is he arriving (air, road, rail), the venue is audited for fire safety, weather, entry and exit points among others. Roads are sanitized and checked for security ahead of his cavalcade.
A senior police official told Indian Express, "If there are bushes on the route the PM is likely to take, the SPG may ask them to be cut down. Narrow patches are mapped and more men are asked to be stationed there for security reasons."
It remains to be seen where the controversy stops as courts are likely to take up the issue next while other probe reports are expected soon.
