Himachal Pradesh Congress and BJP on Thursday traded barbs on security lapse during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Punjab visit with the former terming it a political gimmick while the latter calling for imposing President’s rule in the state.

However, Congress MLA and the son of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh didn’t support the party’s stance on the issue and termed it a failure of state agencies.

State Congress chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore termed the incidence in Punjab as an unfortunate one which the BJP is trying to politicize and defame the Congress government.

“The change in movement plan was a gimmick by the BJP to turn the attention of people from the low turnout of people in the Ferozpur rally. Empty chairs in the Prime Minister’s rally would have been a big embarrassment for the BJP which looks like a malafide plan to divert attention,” he added.

Rathore stated that people in public life have earlier also faced such types of protests but it would have been better if the Prime Minister had walked down from his vehicle and talked to the people as there are such precedences in the past in democratic and social set up in the country.

BJP under the leadership of Chandigarh unit general secretary Ramveer Bhatti staged a protest in Shimla and called for imposing President’s rule in Punjab.

“This was a well thought out conspiracy of the Congress-led Punjab government as Chief Minister Charanjeet Singh Channi was afraid of PM Modi’s popularity.

The PM was to inaugurate and lay the foundation of development works worth Rs 42,000 crore which would have benefited people of the state but the Congress government thwarted the plans,” Bhatti added.

BJP’s charge found favour with Congress MLA and the son of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, Vikramaditya Singh who termed it as the failure of state agencies.

“The security lapse during Modi’s visit shouldn’t be seen from the political angle as the PM’s security, whether he belongs to any party, shouldn’t be compromised. Being a Congress-ruled state, it should have been kept in mind so that no questions could be raised on security-related issues by the ruling party,” he added.