ANI Facing flak over his which bomb would've exploded due to 30 minute delay' remark about security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab earlier this week, Congress leader Harish Rawat said on Friday that his comments had been twisted.
What is your statement ''had there been a 30 minute delay, which bomb would have exploded? I said that after the Prime Minister's plan changed, the central and state agencies should have sanitized the route and if the programme had gotten late by 30 minutes, 'kaunsa aasman toot padta? Rawat, a former Uttarakhand Chief Minister, told ANI.
It was a figure of speech. I think this is a consideration of the Prime Minister's safety. Such things can be said in matters like these, he added.
Rawat, who has been the AICC-incharge of Punjab, had commented on the security lapse on Thursday.
If there was a change in the travel plan, why did the SPG and other central agencies senitise the route along with state agencies. If there was a delay of 30 minutes, which bomb would have exploded, what wonder would have happened, he told reporters.
Rawat was slammed by Uttarakhand BJP leaders for his remarks.
The Union Home Ministry has asked for a report from the Punjab Government on the security breach during the Prime Minister's visit to Punjab on Tuesday.
The prime minister's convoy was stuck on a roadblockade for 15 - 20 minutes due to road blockade by some protestors about 30 km away from the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala.
The prime minister was going to visit Ferozepur and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than 42,750 crore.
Congress leaders continue to speak in different voices about the security breach.
The Prime Minister of India should have a secure passage to address BJP's political rally in Ferozpur, according to the former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jhakhar.