PM's security breach: Rawat clarifies 'bomb' remark

"I said that after Prime Minister's plan changed, the central and state agencies should have sanitized the route and if the programme had gotten late by 30 minutes, 'kaunsa aasman toot padta?" He added that it was a 'figure of speech'.

Dehradun (Uttarakhand):Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat, who is facing flak over his comment on PM Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab earlier this week, has said that his remarks have been twisted.

Talking about his statement, Rawat said "I said that after Prime Minister's plan changed, the central and state agencies should have sanitized the route and if the programme had gotten late by 30 minutes, 'kaunsa aasman toot padta?" He added that it was a "figure of speech".

"I said this considering the Prime Minister's safety. Such things can be said in matters like these," he said.

"If there was a change in the travel plan, why didn't the SPG and other central agencies sensitize the route along with state agencies," asked Rawat.

In that context, he also said, "If there was a delay of 30 minutes, which bomb would have exploded, what wonder would have happened."

READ:Security breach: Punjab govt submits report to MHA, claims enough manpower was on ground

Uttarakhand BJP leaders have slammed Rawat for his remarks and the Union Home Ministry has sought a report from the Punjab Government on the security breach during the Prime Minister's visit to Punjab on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister's convoy was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes due to road blockage by some protestors about 30 km away from the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala. The Prime Minister was to visit Ferozepur and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 42,750 crore.