Former IPS officers ask President Kovind for action regarding PM Modi’s security breach
Earlier on Thursday, a group of former IPS officers urged President Ram Nath Kovind to act immediately in the case of security lapse during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab, alleging “intentional and planned security lapse” by the state government in collusion with protesters.
According to a letter to Kovind, it was “one of the gravest security breaches in the history of the country committed through conspiracy and collusion”.
The prime minister’s route being blocked by protesters was not only a breach of security, but also an embarrassment and damage done to him by the state machinery, they said.
P C Dogra, the former director general of police of Punjab, and Praveen Dixit, the former director general of police of Maharashtra, are among the 27 signatories to the letter.
As a result of the national and international repercussions of the incident, the former IPS officers approached President Kovind for appropriate action.
It shows a lack of law and order in Punjab and threatens the democracy in our country that the carcade of the PM was stopped for 15 to 20 minutes on a flyover. Punjab police was primarily responsible for Modi’s travel and security within the state and had to ensure a secure passage along all routes, according to protocol.
“We are approaching you for the reason that it has never happened that the state agencies are making one or the other excuse and there are contradictory statements even at the level of chief minister regarding the prime minister’s route,” the statement read.
The former IPS officers said that it is unclear how the protesters learned about the prime minister’s route as that information was only shared with state police officials.
Media reports said police officials drank tea instead of removing protesters, which allegedly betrayed their intentions.
It was suggested that some tweets appearing on verified Twitter accounts belonging to a particular party are alarming and worrisome for the nation’s democracy due to their oblique reference to the Congress.
The media have reported in the past about terror acts being supported across the border by countries to disturb the peace of Punjab, a sensitive border state. Former IPS officers said the state must provide security for all political leaders ahead of the Assembly elections in the state in a few months.
Former police officers urged the president to take immediate action on this issue affecting national security and the state’s responsibility to maintain law and order in a border state that is going to vote in a few months.
