Panjab Police Officers Suspended over PM Modi's ‘Security Breach’ in 2022

In a climbdown for Panjab, on 25 Nov, retired judge Indu Malhotra suspended seven Panjab police officials for alleged dereliction of duty related to a security breach during PM Modi's visit to the state in January 2022. The judge passed the orders based on a detailed report submitted by the Director General of Police (DGP) of Panjab. During the incident, just after the Farmers’ Protest had ended in December 2021, the Congress was in power in Panjab. However, Captain Amarinder Singh quit as Chief Minister and floated his party – Panjab Lok Congress which had aligned itself with the BJP. Charanjit Singh Channi had taken over as CM. PM Modi was to visit Ferozepur for an election rally on 5 Jan 2022. A farmer union – the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) – was protesting Modi's visit. The weather was wet and cold. Unable to fly down by helicopter, the PM was coming by road from Bathinda. Ten thousand security personnel were deployed. Due to the farmers’ protest, the PM’s cavalcade was stranded on a highway for 20 minutes. PM Modi turned back and while leaving from Bathinda told officials. ‘Tell your CM, I could return alive.’ The statement was meant to malign the state’s image which is the usual Delhi media propaganda against Panjab. Channi stood up for Panjab. He revealed the PM had returned because people had not turned up for the rally. Now Panjab accepting a security breach is admitting to the state’s lapse, which was not the case.