After the alleged breach of security during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign visit in Punjab on Wednesday, the government is planning to take action against Punjab police officers under the Special Protection Group (SPG) Act, media reports said.

Punjab DGP Siddharth Chattopadhyaya and 12 senior officials, including those deployed for PM Modi's visit, were called for questioning today. The union home ministry has also sent a notice to Bathinda's top officer asking him to send his reply within 24 hours.

The Centre has been preparing to take action against the officers even though the Punjab government has formed a high-level committee to probe the incident. The central committee comprising three members visited Punjab on Friday to seek details of the event that led to the Prime Minister being stranded on the highway for about 20 minutes.

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What happened on Wednesday?

On January 5, PM Modi was stranded on a flyover in poll-bound Punjab for about 15-20 minutes while on his way to Ferozepur for an election rally. The Prime Minister's convoy was travelling from Bathinda by road as his helicopter was grounded due to bad weather, NDTV reported.

PM Modi was en route to the National Martyrs Memorial at the Hussainiwala border with Pakistan when protesting farmers blocked the route of his convoy. Eventually, the PM cancelled the programme at Ferozepur and headed back to New Delhi.

Why it matters

The incident was a violation of the SPG Act as the state government failed to follow all security protocols to ensure the PM's safety, Indian Express quoted a source in the government as saying. Under Section 14 of the Act, the state is responsible for assisting the SPG when called upon to do so.

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The Special Protection Group (SPG) Act, which came into force in 1988, provides for the constitution and regulation of an armed force that will ensure 'proximate security' to the current and former Prime Ministers of India and their immediate families. The Act came into force after the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and was extended to all former premiers and their immediate family members after the death of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

As mentioned in the Act, 'proximate security' entails protection provided from close quarters while travelling by aircraft, rail, road, watercraft, on foot or any means of transport.

SPG members cannot be associated with any trade union, labour union or be politically aligned to a party. They are not allowed to communicate with the press or publish any books, letters or documents unless it is part of their duty.

Bigger Picture

Although not under the SPG Act, the government had summoned three IPS officers from West Bengal on central deputation after a security lapse of BJP president JP Nadda in December 2020. The state government did not release the three officers to join the central deputation.

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(Edited by : Jomy Jos Pullokaran)