Janjivan Bureau / Bathinda : Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelled his visit to Ferozepur—where he was scheduled to lay the foundation stones for several projects—on Wednesday.
The prime minister was scheduled to address a rally later but turned back because of a road blockade by farmers.
Farmers have been opposing the visit. Modi, who had landed at Bathinda’s Bhaisiana Airforce station, is now heading back there and would soon leave for Delhi, officials said.
The Ministry of Home Affairs blamed the state government for the security breach.
This was his first visit to the state in two years.
Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal tweeted a photo of himself welcoming Modi earlier in the day.
“Welcoming Prime Minister, Shri @narendramodi Ji, on behalf of the Punjab Government for his official visit to Punjab,” Badal’s tweet said.
Hours before his Punjab visit, the prime minister said in a tweet on Wednesday that he was looking forward to “being among my sisters and brothers of Punjab today”.
“At a programme in Ferozepur, foundation stones for development works worth Rs 42,750 crore will be laid, which will improve the quality of life for the people,” Modi said in a tweet.
The prime minister was scheduled to lay foundation stones for projects worth over Rs 42,000 crore, including two mega road corridors to enhance accessibility to prominent religious centres and three health institutions in this town bordering Pakistan.
Meanwhile, BJP accused the Punjab of Police of stopping buses taking party workers to the rally that the Prime Minister will address later.
Sources said Union Home Minister Amit Shah has taken it with the Punjab DGP.
Punjab assembly elections are just a few months away.
Just hours ahead of his visit, Modi tweeted, “I look forward to being among my sisters and brothers of Punjab today. At a programme in Ferozepur, the foundation stone of development works worth Rs 42,750 crore would be laid, which will improve the quality of life for the people.”
The Prime Minister’s visit is being opposed by some farmer unions. Around 10,000 security personnel have been deployed in Ferozepur district.
