Punjab: PM Modi's Visit To Ferozepur Postponed After "Serious" Security Breach; MHA Asks Channi Govt To Fix Responsibility

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Punjab's Ferozepur on Wednesday has been postponed, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said.

Modi, who was travelling by road in Punjab, was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes due to blockade by some protesters, an incident the Union Home Ministry described as a 'major lapse' in his security.

In a statement, the Home Ministry said after the 'major security lapse' in the Prime Minister's travel in Punjab, his convoy decided to return.

The ministry also asked the Punjab government to fix responsibility for the lapse and take strict action, the statement said.

Speaking to the people gathered at the rally in Ferozepur, Mandaviya said, 'The prime minister wanted to meet you all but because of some reasons he is not going to be with us today. The PM has said that these programmes (inauguration) have been postponed and not cancelled.'

Meanwhile, news agency ANI quoted officials at Bathinda airport as saying tha on his return to the airport, PM Modi told officials there, "Apne CM ko thanks kehna, ki main Bhatinda airport tak zinda laut paaya. (Thank your CM that I could return to Bhatinda airport alive)".

PM Modi's reported statement to officials was meant to be sarcastic as ensuring the security of the Prime Minister in the state was Punjab government's responsibility and it failed to do so.

Meanwhile, Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma blamed the Charanjit Singh Channi-led Congress government for the security lapse.

The Prime Minister was scheduled to lay the foundation stones of development projects worth over Rs 42,750 crore, including the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway and a PGIMER satellite centre.

The projects also included four-laning of the Amritsar-Una section, Mukerian-Talwara broad gauge railway line and two new medical colleges at Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur.

(With inputs from PTI)