Modi's Ferozepur rally deferred after security breach

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Punjab's Ferozepur, which was supposed to be held 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, Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma blamed the Charanjit Singh Channi-led Congress government for the security lapse.

He claimed that the Congress got scared of the event and tried all possible tricks to scuttle Modi's visit.

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.

Sharma alleged that the Punjab Police was instructed to prevent people from attending the rally.

He said a large number of buses and other vehicles carrying Bharatiya Janata Party workers and other people were stranded.

He claimed that the police connived with protesters blocking the movement of those headed for the rally.

"The government which cannot ensure law and order has no right to rule and does not deserve to be given a second chance," the state BJP chief said.

"The PM was coming here to give something to Punjab. But the state government failed to provide security. This government must go," Sharma said.