PM's rally should have been postponed instead of levelling allegations against Punjab CM: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said it would have been better to gracefully postpone the Prime Minister's rally in Punjab knowing that rain had occurred and chairs were vacant on the venue instead of levelling allegations against Punjab CM and the government.

In a major security lapse, the prime minister's convoy was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters in Ferozepur on Wednesday. He returned from poll-bound Punjab without attending any event, including a rally.

The Union Home Ministry has directed the Punjab government to file an immediate report, saying it did not ensure the required deployment. Home Minister Amit Shah said such dereliction of the security procedure during the prime minister's visit is totally unacceptable and accountability will be fixed.

Gehlot said that it needs to be probed who misled the Prime Minister.

"If rain had occurred and people did not come then you should have gracefully postponed the rally instead of levelling allegations against Punjab CM and state government as elections are due in two months," Gehlot told reporters here at a press conference.

He further said, "It needs to be probed who misled the Prime Minister, why was his convoy was allowed to move...whether the PM himself decided or he was misled it should come out before the people."

The Congress leader said that the state has responsibility of PM's security but bigger responsibility is on the SPG and IB, but there is no discussion on it where was the lapse.

Gehlot said it is a serious matter and instead of doing politics on it, responsibility of the SPG, IB and other agencies should be fixed.

BJP leaders are giving statements to malign Congress for its political gain as elections are near in five states, the Chief Minister said.

The Congress leader further said it has come to fore that it was informed that farmers were agitating on the PM convoy' route. If farmers wanted to give a memorandum, they should have been given time for it as it is a democratic country.

Gehlot said that it was unfortunate if PM had given statement that he returned back alive to Bhatinda airport. Union Ministry has not rebuffed the statement so it can be said that PM had given the statement.

"Prime Minister is of a country and not of any party. Who better than Congress can understand dangers to the PM. It is unfortunate to do politics over the issue...conspiracy to create an environment that Congress hates PM," Gehlot said.

He said that non-violence is in blood of Congress unlike the BJP and RSS that have feeling of violence in their thoughts and acts.

Reacting on Gehlot's press conference, BJP state president Satish Poonia said that people of Rajasthan want to know the views of Congress about the negligence in the security of the Prime Minister of the country.

The irresponsible rhetoric of the Chief Minister, the absurd reasoning and the mugged-up speech of irrelevant things has exposed the Congress, Poonia said in a statement.

He said that from today's Chief Minister's press conference, it seems that Punjab is going from the hands of Congress and in 2023 Rajasthan will follow the suit too.

Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra alleged Prime Minister Modi wants to fight assembly elections in five states on the lines of pseudo-nationalism by doing conspiracy and creating a new environment.

He said that PM created an atmosphere that there was a lapse in his security, which was not there.

He said that if protestors wanted to give memorandum then they should have ben given time for it.

Dotasra said that it was an unsuccessful rally and people did not come to take part in the rally due to injustice done to the farmers and burdening them with three black agricultural laws.

He said a well thought conspiracy, a drama was created that there was a lapse in PM's security when people did not come to the rally.

He said that PM had done drama several times earlier by flouting protocol for political gains.

He said that BJP thinks that it has money and can fight elections on basis of money power.

"You can buy commodities from money but not faith of people. PM should stop doing drama. He should accept his defeat and apologise to farmers and talk to them," he said.

He said that PM should talk to farmers before repealing farm laws and should discuss the matter of minimum support price.