Asking the Wrong Questions

With Punjab CM Mr Charanjit Singh Channi downplaying PM's security breach and mocking even the apprehensions of 'threat to life', the severity of the lapse (or conspiracy), that is yet to unfold, has been rightly exploded by the media.

Reinforcing the Importance

Of all other nations, India must take the security of the Prime Minister with utmost seriousness. It isn't just because India has had prominent precedents of such assassinations, both by internal and external threat elements, but also for its strategically manoeuvrable northern territory, flanked between rivals - Pakistan, China, and today's day Afghanistan. Given these factors and accelerated by former PM Indira Gandhi’s Assassination, SPG was formed as an independent agency for prime ministerial protection under the SPG Act 1985. Yet, in what is termed as a major security lapse, PM Narendra Modi was stranded for around 20 minutes on his way to Ferozpur during his recent visit to Punjab. What went wrong is the question looming large, for both the central and local agencies involved.

Inter-Agency Coordination

While the SPG takes care of peripheral security of the PM during his visit to states, the perimeter is secured by the local police in coordination with the SPG and IB through an Advanced Security Liaison (ASL). It includes sanitisation of the planned route, alternate route, venue, anti-sabotage, frisking checks, etc. Security protocols are codified in blue books issued by the MHA to the states. This requirement for inter-agency coordination has made responsibility fixation difficult and has led to a blame game between the centre and state. 

Was the threat to life real or 'drama'?

Additionally, Punjab government's keenness to declare ‘no threat to life’ to justify the 'peaceful' nature of protests, despite several videos promoting violence on social media, is answering the wrong question. Ideally, it shouldn’t take a ‘threat to life’ situation for the security of VVIPs, especially the PM, to be taken seriously.

Regardless of which agency is responsible, the fact that the incident is being termed a poll gimmick or 'drama' is regrettable. Face saving behind democracy & freedom of protest, with an assumption of non-violence from the protesting 'so-called peace-loving Sikh farmers', is shameful for the Punjab CM. It was a radical segment of this same Sikh community that led an armed conflict with the government of India in the Golden Temple and assassinated the first and the only women PM of India. Advocating ‘no threat to life’ is neither rational nor justified by the behavioural precedent of the protesters. Moreover, the recent admission by the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Krantikari) official Surjeet Sigh Phool regarding the information leak of the travel details of the PM is proof of either blatant ignorance or conspiracy by the Punjab Government.

There have been incidents of security 'breaches' in the past, however, a security 'lapse' on the part of agencies is a rarest of the rare case and thus very grave. The closest to this, yet too far, was in December 2017 when PM Narendra Modi's convoy was stuck in a traffic jam on Mahamaya Flyover, Noida, for 2 minutes due to a wrong turn during his UP visit. For this mere 120 second lapse, two policemen were suspended. One can only hope that a recall of this incident might push some sense into the leadership of Punjab in realising the importance of PM’s security and not just ensuring him being alive.

Way Forward

However, the 3-member committee constituted by the MHA, comprising of Security Secretary of the Cabinet Secretariat, Joint director of IB, and IG of SPG, lacks representation from the state police. With IB and SPG being prominent stakeholders in the investigation, it wouldn't be a surprise if the committee scapegoats the local police in its report. While the exact details of the incident are yet to unfold, an end to these accusations will only be through the court-monitored investigation ordered by the Supreme Court. The incident is a 'serious red alert' and a new low in the Indian political discourse.