Cong tried to physically harm PM Modi: BJP

Shah, Nadda attack Cong, say people’s rejection has driven it to insanity.

New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday launched an all-out attack on the Congress over the breach in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security in Punjab, alleging it wanted to physically harm him as repeated defeats in elections have taken the party on the path of “insanity”.

Top BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah and party president J P Nadda, lashed out at the Congress, which is in power in the state, over the incident.

Nadda accused the Congress of trying “all possible tricks to scuttle” Modi’s programmes, including a rally, in the state. Union Minister Smriti Irani asked whether the Congress leaders were “happy that the prime minister was on the verge of death”.

Hitting out at the state government after Modi’s rally was called off and another programme hit as protesters blocked his route breaching the security protocol, Nadda said what is extremely worrisome is that the incident was also a big security lapse. In his tweets, Shah said, what was witnessed in the state is “Congress-made” and a trailer of how this party thinks and functions.

“Repeated rejections by the people have taken them on the path of insanity. The topmost echelons of the Congress owe an apology to the people of India for what they have done,” he said.

Noting that his ministry has sought a detailed report on the security breach in Punjab, Shah said such dereliction of security procedure in the prime minister’s visit is totally unacceptable and that accountability will be fixed.

Modi’s Punjab visit was cut short as he was stranded on a flyover for 20 minutes due to a blockade by protesters.

According to a Home Ministry statement, after the serious lapse in security, Modi’s convoy decided to return without attending an event at a martyrs’ memorial at Hussainiwala. Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Union Minister Smriti Irani blasted the Congress alleging planted political instruments were given political patronage by the party’s government in Punjab to breach Modi’s security. Chief Minister Channi on Wednesday expressed regret after PM Modi had to cut short his visit to the state, but asserted that there was no security lapse.—PTI