PM Modi’s safety breach in Punjab was callousness of the very best order

File picture exhibiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cavalcade caught on a flyover in Punjab on 5 January. PTI

In January this 12 months, your entire nation bought a jolt when visuals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cavalcade being caught on a flyover in Punjab splashed throughout TV channels and social media. The PM’s convoy was surrounded with tons of of protesters in a number of autos for a full 20 minutes at the same time as personnel of Punjab Police had been seen chilling with them over a cup of tea. It didn’t make for a fairly sight as a very powerful chief of the nation was susceptible and his safety underneath severe breach in probably the most essential states of the nation that additionally shares a border with Pakistan.

PM Modi was on a go to to Punjab which from the very starting appeared compromised when it comes to safety. As per the conference, neither the DGP nor the chief minister of the state had been current to obtain him. At the moment, the Congress was nonetheless in energy and Charanjit Singh Channi was the chief minister of the state. The PM was initially scheduled to fly to the Nationwide Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala; nevertheless, unhealthy climate led to a change in plan of which Punjab Police was knowledgeable properly upfront.

Surprising new information have now come to mild after an unbiased panel appointed by the Supreme Court docket to look into the safety breach throughout prime minister’s Punjab go to submitted its report back to the courtroom. In accordance with the Supreme Court docket-appointed Retired Justice Indu Malhotra committee, it was the Ferozpur SSP who failed in executing his obligation of guaranteeing the prime minister’s safety regardless of having the required info round two hours upfront. The Supreme Court docket bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana held Harmandeep Singh Hans, Ferozepur SSP, liable for not appearing to make sure PM Modi’s security regardless of having enough drive at his disposal and regardless of key inputs that hostile teams had been current on the route that the prime minister was taking. The bench is now going to ship the report back to the Centre in order that acceptable motion will be taken.

Harmandeep Singh Hans is a 2015 batch IPS officer of Punjab cadre and can retire from the providers in 2050. He secured All India rank 101 within the UPSC examination and can also be credited with eliminating drug mafia throughout his stint because the SP of Mohali. Hans was instantly transferred by the Channi authorities as a damage-control transfer and posted because the commandant of the third battalion in Ludhiana. You will need to observe that Bharat Kisan Union (Krantikari) president Surjeet Singh Phool who was main the protest had claimed in an interview that he was knowledgeable by the Punjab Police of this VVIP motion upfront. Nevertheless, then CM Channi had claimed that it was a “kudrati” (pure) occasion.

Safety across the border states is changing into essential day-to-day as a result of altering nature of warfare. The incidents of Indian forces intercepting drones despatched from throughout the border into Indian territory have dramatically elevated. The quantity of those drones and their potential to inflict severe injury are additionally rising. What’s most worrying is the precision with which these drones can be utilized to focus on VIP places and actions.

VVIP actions are taken with utmost seriousness the world over. India has already misplaced two of its prime ministers — Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi — to deadly assaults. In July this 12 months, the world once more misplaced a vital chief, former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, in Japan’s metropolis of Nara the place he was assassinated whereas talking throughout a political occasion within the run-up to the elections. In India, VVIP safety is guided by a “Blue E book” that has elaborate directions on guaranteeing safety. What occurred in Punjab wasn’t simply unlucky nevertheless it additionally raises questions on the Congress authorities which was in energy.

Political video games apart, safety of the prime minister is non-negotiable. It stays to be seen the motion that the Centre will take in opposition to these accountable. We will solely hope {that a} powerful instance is ready.

The writer is a PhD in Worldwide Relations from the Division of Worldwide Relations, South Asian College. Her analysis focuses on the political economic system of South Asia and regional integration. The views expressed on this article are these of the writer and don’t symbolize the stand of this publication.

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