Breaking his silence for the first time after Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered a probe into the inconvenience caused to residents during his visit to the city on September 11, UT Adviser Vijay Kumar Dev today said it was the collective decision of the Administration to shut the schools and follow the security norms during the Prime Minister’s visit.
After widespread criticism from the public over the decision of the UT to shut schools in the city and keep the cremation ground in Sector 25 out of bounds for the common man during the Prime Minister’s visit, Modi had tweeted, “The inconvenience caused to citizens in Chandigarh, especially the shutting of schools due to my visit, is regretted. It was totally avoidable”. The Prime Minister had said an inquiry would be ordered into the matter and responsibility fixed.
The Adviser was interacting with mediapersons after the inauguration of a water boosting station in Sector 56 this evening.
He said, “The Chandigarh Administration followed the protocol and norms laid down for the Prime Minister’s security during Modi’s visit to the city on September 11.”
On the closure of all schools in the city, the Adviser said the Administration took the decision keeping two things in mind — the Prime Minister’s security and to avoid any inconvenience to schoolchildren and the public.
On the cremation ground in Sector 25 being out of bounds for the public due to the unprecedented security arrangements at Modi’s rally venue, which led to some people, including a Kargil war veteran, shifting the cremation of his son to Mohali, the Adviser said there were no official orders by the Administration to close the cremation ground. He said “wrong reporting” by a section of the media had created confusion among the public.
The Administration was in constant touch with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on the PM’s visit, Dev said.
Sources said the Administration had already prepared its reply.
After widespread criticism from the public over the decision of the UT to shut schools in the city and keep the cremation ground in Sector 25 out of bounds for the common man during the Prime Minister’s visit, Modi had tweeted, “The inconvenience caused to citizens in Chandigarh, especially the shutting of schools due to my visit, is regretted. It was totally avoidable”. The Prime Minister had said an inquiry would be ordered into the matter and responsibility fixed.
The Adviser was interacting with mediapersons after the inauguration of a water boosting station in Sector 56 this evening.
He said, “The Chandigarh Administration followed the protocol and norms laid down for the Prime Minister’s security during Modi’s visit to the city on September 11.”
On the closure of all schools in the city, the Adviser said the Administration took the decision keeping two things in mind — the Prime Minister’s security and to avoid any inconvenience to schoolchildren and the public.
On the cremation ground in Sector 25 being out of bounds for the public due to the unprecedented security arrangements at Modi’s rally venue, which led to some people, including a Kargil war veteran, shifting the cremation of his son to Mohali, the Adviser said there were no official orders by the Administration to close the cremation ground. He said “wrong reporting” by a section of the media had created confusion among the public.
The Administration was in constant touch with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on the PM’s visit, Dev said.
Sources said the Administration had already prepared its reply.
