ferozepur: SSP told us PM would be coming by road but we took it as bluff: Farmer leader

The chief of a farmer outfit, which had blocked the route of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s convoy in Ferozepur forcing it to return, on Thursday stated his group was informed by the district police chief that the PM can be travelling by this highway, however “we thought it was a bluff to get the highway vacated”. It was revealed by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Krantikari) chief Surjeet Singh Phul, whose union had blocked the Ferozepur-Moga highway close to Piareana village as a part of their protest.

The PM’s convoy had received caught on a flyover on this highway for 15-20 minutes when it reached close to Piareana village, round 30 km away from the Nationwide Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala in Ferozepur.

A choice was then taken to take the PM’s convoy again to Bathinda airport.

After touchdown in Bathinda on Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi needed to take the highway path to Hussainiwala in Ferozepur due to the inclement climate.

Speaking to reporters, Phul stated, “We initially thought they had been bluffing us. The PM won’t come. (If he comes) he’ll come by air as a helipad was arrange there.”

Phul stated they thought it was a ploy of the police to get the highway vacated to permit buses of BJP staff to cross via for the rally. “We thought that manner,” he stated.

“We by no means knew that the PM was coming,” stated Phul.

Requested which police officer informed them that the PM was coming, Phul stated it was the Senior Superintendent of Police (Ferozepur).

The SSP stated the prime minister was coming, stated Phul.

“We informed him if the PM needed to come, will it’s recognized simply an hour earlier than his arrival? It was not potential,” Phul stated.

He additional argued that there was a lot visitors on the highway and if the PM needed to take this highway, the visitors on each its up and down lanes would have been stopped upfront.

“You (SSP) are bluffing us. We don’t belief you and we won’t vacate the highway. You might be mendacity in regards to the PM go to,” stated Phul.

Some farmer our bodies, together with the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee and Bharatiya Kisan Union (Krantikari) had earlier introduced to oppose Modi’s go to.

They had been demanding from the federal government to fulfil their pending calls for, together with bringing a legislation to ensure the minimal assist worth for crops and withdrawal of legal instances in opposition to farmers, who had participated within the agitation in opposition to the central farm legal guidelines.

In a “main safety lapse”, Prime Minister Modi’s convoy was left stranded on a flyover in Ferozepur on Wednesday after some protesting farmers blocked the highway forcing the PM to return from poll-bound Punjab with out attending any occasion, together with a rally.

The Union House Ministry has sought a direct rationalization from the state authorities on the PM’s safety breach, saying it didn’t make sure the requisite deployment with House Minister Amit Shah too warning that such dereliction of the safety process in the course of the prime minister’s go to is completely unacceptable and the accountability might be fastened.