Oppn demands judicial inquiry into PM's secuirity lapse

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 13 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Oommen Chandy today demanded a judicial inquiry into the security lapse during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the state in the first week of this month.

Talking to mediapersons here, he alleged that since State Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan was ''responsible for the security lapse,'' he had no moral right to take action against the police officials.

The Home Minister should not have left the state during the PM's visit, particularly when there was a threat, he charged.

He alleged that the transfer of two top officials in connection with the security lapse on the basis of an inquiry report was only to cover up the whole incident and to protect some who were involved in it. If the officials had committed any mistake in ensuring security, it should have been disclosed by the government, he added.

Stating that the recent inquiry by two top officials into the issue was a ''farce'', he said there were contradictions in the reports of Additional Director General of Police and the Chief Secretary, who probed the Lapse.

If the ADGP in his report had stated that there was no security lapse, the Chief Secretary in her report had clearly mentioned that the ''Blue Book guidelines'' in providing security to the VVIPs had been completely violated, he charged.

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