PM visit locks down Chandigarh; exams, cremations and traffic hit

The city of Chandigarh was virtually locked down for Narendra Modi’s first visit on Friday as schools and the main cremation ground were closed, prompting the Prime Minister to order a probe into the shutdown that inconvenienced thousands of people.

People were forced to look for alternative cremation grounds, ambulances took longer routes because of traffic restrictions and exams were rescheduled, which led Modi to express regret for the disruption caused by his four-hour visit to inaugurate a new civil air terminal and address a public rally.

“An inquiry will be held and responsibility fixed for the inconvenience caused to the people of Chandigarh,” Modi tweeted. “The inconvenience caused to citizens in Chandigarh, especially shutting of schools due to my visit, is regretted. It was totally avoidable.”

Hours after Modi left Chandigarh, the Union home ministry sent a letter to the Chandigarh administration, seeking an explanation for a series of missteps that marred the PM’s visit.

An inquiry will be held and responsibility fixed... Inconvenience caused to citizens, ens, especially shutting of schools, due to my visit is regretted. It was totally avoidable. NARENDRA MODI, Prime Minister

The city’s main cremation ground was turned into a makeshift parking lot for the PM’s rally. Among those affected was Kargil war veteran Brig ( retd) Devinder Singh whose 28-year-old son died in a road accident but had to be cremated outside the city.

“A cremation ground being closed hasn’t happened in the history of Chandigarh. We were shocked when we were told we had to make alternative arrangements,” Major ( retd) Guneet Chaudhary, a family friend of Brig Devinder Singh, told HT.

The Congress said it had become Modi’s habit to commit mistakes and then apologise, adding that mere apologies won’t do.

“The Prime Minister first makes mistakes and then apologises. It has been his habit for the last 15 months,” party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.

“Will he return the money required fo r the rally i n Chandigarh? Will he apologise without any condition to Brig Devinder Singh and his f amily? Will he apolo gise to our leaders wh o h ave been ar rested ille g ally in Chandigarh?”

At his rally, the PM attacked the Congress for disrupting Lok Sabha proceedings, saying 40 MPs were “conspiring” and “playing” with democracy by “blocking” the parliamentary process.

“Why are some people doing this (blocking the proceedings of Parliament), just for their arrogance? There can be nothing more unfortunate than this,” he said.

Local BJP leaders regretted that the PM left disappointed. “We have spent around R1 crore on the PM’s visit and yet he left fuming,” a BJP leader told HT, requesting not to be named.

Will he return the money required for the rally in Chandigarh? Will he apologise without any condition to Brig Devinder Singh and his family? Will he apologise to our leaders who have been arrested illegally in Chandigarh? RANDEEP SINGH SURJEWALA, Congress spokesperson