In anticipation of a call by farmer unions for a protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is expected to arrive in the state on Thursday to begin his election campaign, thousands of police officers and at least three companies of paramilitary forces were stationed at various locations in Punjab on Wednesday.
The cities of Patiala, Jalandhar, and Gurdaspur, where Modi is scheduled to campaign for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates on Thursday and Friday, reportedly became fortresses with the deployment of almost 10,000 state police personnel and three companies of paramilitary forces. This was in response to calls from the non-political Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) to protest Modi’s visit amid the ongoing impasse between the Centre and farmers over a number of demands.
The Prime Minister’s convoy was delayed for fifteen to twenty minutes in 2022 by a farmer barricade on a flyover close to Ferozepur. Ahead of the state’s assembly elections, Modi was scheduled to speak at a BJP rally in Ferozepur, but bad weather forced him to travel by road from Bathinda airport.
Gaurav Yadav, the director general of police for Punjab, is in charge of the security measures.
“Heavy vehicle traffic in Patiala was rerouted, and the district as a whole was ordered to remain under lockdown until Modi’s rally at the Raja Bhalindra Singh Sports Complex (Polo Ground) was over. According to them, trucks filled with dirt were stationed beside the highways leading to the rally location. Upon entering the region, visitors are subjected to screening at several locations to guarantee that no farmer can join the arena.” He stated .
State BJP chief Sunil Jakhar reviewed the security arrangements in Patiala on Wednesday. Sitting MP Preneet Kaur, who is seeking a re-election, said: “The PM’s rally will serve to strengthen the BJP in Punjab. If anyone can solve the major problems of Patiala, it is only Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
Author: Rohit Singh
Rohit Singh is passionate individual currently pursuing a degree in Journalism and Mass communication , driven by a desire to do something in the media industry . Driven by a desire to revolutionize media, I aspire to lead by example and instigate a shift towards more responsible and impactful journalism. I love to learn new things and try to adapt them
