New Delhi: After Congress-led government received brickbats over Prime Minister Modi's security breach in Punjab on Wednesday, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera in a press conference on Thursday, said, "Why does Prime Minister Narendra Modi dislikes Punjab so much? Why was he feeling so unsafe among his own people? Why is he trying to malign the image of Punjab before the entire world?"
Congress party accused PM Modi of trying to gain 'political mileage' in view of upcoming Assembly elections.
Pawan Khera also gave examples of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi who had also faced similar kinds of situations where they went on to communicate with the protesters to listen to their issues and demands.
"We understand that PM Modi doesn't believe in democracy, and that is why he didn't go to meet the protesters, but at least he should've given 15 minutes of time to the police to clear the blockade," Khera said.
Meanwhile, Congress-ruled states' Chief Ministers also stood in support of their counterpart Charanjit Singh Channi by addressing press conferences in their respective states.
Leading the pack, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot said, "Congress wants to tell the prime minister that his security is everyone's responsibility. It is unfortunate that politics is being done on this. PM should not have made such a remark ('Made it back alive' remark by PM)."
While Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel alleged that PM Modi is not being able to tolerate that a Dalit became Chief Minister of Punjab. He even called the entire episode a "political stunt" and said, "Why did the PMO office didn't had any information about the weather condition of Punjab. Even while flying from Delhi Airport there was no information about the weather condition, how is that possible?"
However, there is another section of leaders of the Congress party who are calling it a major security lapse and demanding an inquiry over the matter. This includes Punjab Congress MP Manish Tewari who has sought an HC-monitored probe in this matter.
Tewari tweeted, "I have been carefully watching the unfolding controversy about PMO India‘s trip to Punjab yesterday. I did not want to give a knee jerk and off-the-cuff reaction. What happened yesterday was most unfortunate, it should not have happened."
"PMO India's security is governed by an Act of Parliament-The SPG Act of 1988 as amended in 2019. A security breach involving @PMOIndia is a sensitive matter & should not be turned into a political football. Let the entire sequence of events be enquired into by sitting judge of High Court to establish correct facts," he further added.
It looks like the Congress party is divided over the security lapse issue.
