Kushal Jeena / AMN
New Delhi/Chandigarh: It was for the first time in the history of Chandigarh when the people woke up in the morning to drop their children and found all school buses have been confiscated by the authorities to fetch people from various places to make rally of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi a great success. Besides, all offices and business establishments were also closed and people were not allowed to move freely as Modi was to arrive to address his first public meeting after becoming Prime Minister.
The conditions worsened when relatives of a man who had died in road was not allowed to cremate the body as cremation ground was shut down because the venue of the rally was close to the ground. However, following strong reaction in the social media network, PM realized and expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to the people during his visit to the city.
He also ordered in inquiry to hold officials responsible for the arrangements that threw residents life into disarray. The parking lot at the main crematorium in the heart of the city was turned into parking space for Modi’s rally. Families that are bereaved were asked to use another crematorium in the western part of the city.
“The inconvenience caused to citizens in Chandigarh, especially shutting of schools due to my visit is regretted. It was totally avoidable.”
“The inconvenience caused to citizens in Chandigarh, especially shutting of schools due to my visit is regretted. It was totally avoidable. An inquiry will be held and responsibility will be fixed for the inconvenience caused to the people of Chandigarh”, the Prime Minister said.
Colleges and schools were closed today and exams were cancelled in many institutions.
Brigadier Devinder Singh fought in the Kargil war in 1999 against Pakistan. His 24-year-old son was killed in a road accident yesterday. He told waiting media persons that he would cremate his son in Mohali nearby, since the main Chandigarh crematorium was not available.
The PM inaugurated a modern Rs. 900-crore version of the city’s airport this morning which will handle domestic as well as international flights. He then was the chief guest at a convocation or graduation ceremony of the main hospital in Chandigarh.
Officials had said special arrangements had been made to ensure ambulances, which would be forced to use longer routes than usual, would not face other delays when they pulled in at the PGIMER hospital because of the security arrangements for the PM’s visit.
At least 4,500 police personnel, including commandos and SWAT team members, were posted to ensure the PM’s security. 10 members of the opposition Congress, who were planning to protest on the streets against PM Modi, were detained. Section 144, which bans groups from gathering as a precaution to maintain law and order, had also been declared.
A mad race of beating each other was witnessed among the officials of Chandigarh administration and police to prove their loyality before the Prime Minister as local police made precautionary arrests the leaders of opposition Congress party and officials ordered all schools, offices and business establishments to close down. Some educational institutions were forced put off the examinations their students were scheduled to appear for today.
ends.
“The inconvenience caused to citizens in Chandigarh, especially shutting of schools due to my visit is regretted. It was totally avoidable. An inquiry will be held and responsibility will be fixed for the inconvenience caused to the people of Chandigarh”, the Prime Minister said.