Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday criticised Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi for briefing Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security issue, and said that the Congress leaders had once again exposed their “sycophancy towards the Gandhi family”.
Earlier, speaking to ANI on Saturday, CM Channi had said that he had briefed Priyanka Gandhi on everything that happened at Ferozepur during the Prime Minister’s visit to the state. Goyal tweeted, “Congress leaders once again expose their sycophancy towards the Gandhi family. The Punjab CM briefing a non-constitutional authority, raises questions on who scripted the whole plot compromising PM @NarendraModi ji’s security and risking his life.”
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra too was vocal on the issue. “Punjab Chief Minister himself said that he had briefed Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Prime Minister’s security issue. The question arises—why a sitting Chief Minister briefs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on such a sensitive issue like PM’s security. This is not the matter of Priyanka Gandhi. What constitutional post does Priyanka hold and who is she to be kept in the loop regarding PM’s security? Public wants to know why a sitting Chief Minister briefs a party leader on such a sensitive issue.” He further said that the Gandhi family should give clarification on this whole issue.
“Why was it a compulsion to keep Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the loop as far as security of PM is concerned? It is a serious issue. We firmly believe that the Gandhi family should come out clean on this. Gandhi family should give clarification on this whole issue,” he added.
BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh on Sunday went a step ahead and alleged that the Congress high command was behind the conspiracy of the PM’s security breach. “The conspiracy is connected to Punjab’s Chief Minister’s residence and Congress high command, who had given Channi a task to bring PM Modi to a place where his life will be at risk and he is reporting them,” he said.
Meanwhile, the UK-based British Sikh Association condemned the security breach which occurred during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Ferozepur in Punjab last week. “The Prime Minister is a democratically elected Head of the Government and represents the entire nation, not just one state. Therefore, no one should undermine the authority of a leader who has to steer the country. It is a sad indictment of the security arrangements surrounding his visit that allowed a handful of an unruly mob to hamper the visit planned to exercise his democratic right to meet and greet the public,” Lord Rami Ranger CBE, chairman of the body, said in a statement. The Association also stated that the nation was waiting to see what message the Prime Minister had for the people of Punjab, whom he holds in the “highest esteem.”
“No other Prime Minister has done as much for the people of Punjab as him. He opened the Kartarpur Corridor to honour the religious feelings of the people. He has gone out of the way to promote the teachings and lives of Sikh Gurus in the world through the Indian diplomatic missions,” the chairman said.