Rajasthan deputy CM's son seen with govt escort in reel, sparks online backlash
Jaipur, Sep 28: Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa had to contend with an online backlash after his son appeared in a social media reel driving a modified jeep with a state government vehicle tailing him.
Bairwa, who also serves as the transport minister, defended his son on Friday stating that there was no wrongdoing as he was with his friends from school.
The Rajasthan government Bolero vehicle with multicoloured beacon on it and registered in the name of transport department, was seen tailing and escorting the jeep, raising questions about the inappropriate use of state resources.
The jeep was driven by Bairwa's son on Amber road in Jaipur. The reel showed him with three friends, including the son of a Congress leader.
In another reel, the deputy CM's son accompanies the Congress leader's son to a luxury car showroom, where the latter is purchasing a vehicle.
Following backlash on social media, Bairwa said that since becoming the deputy CM, his son has had opportunities to associate with affluent individuals and see luxury cars and there is nothing with it.
"I want to thank the Prime Minister for making someone like me the deputy chief minister of Rajasthan. After this, if wealthy individuals allow my son to sit with them and give him a chance to see luxury cars then I am thankful," he said.
Bairwa said that his son has not yet attained the age of 18 years and that the vehicle accompanying him was for security purposes.
"Where were the rules violated? The car was following for my child's safety. If people interpret it differently, that's their perspective but I do not blame my child or his friends. They were just together," he said.
Bairwa is a second time BJP MLA from Dudu constituency.
The Bolero vehicle seen in the reel is registered in the name of the transport department.
Secretary of the transport department Shuchi Tyagi could not be contacted for comments on the matter.
A senior police officer familiar with the development said, "We are examining whether the police escort is being misused or not."
#WATCH | Jaipur: On the viral video of his son driving a car and being escorted by a police vehicle, Rajasthan Deputy CM Prem Chand Bairwa says, "I got to know about it from the social media. My son has just passed his senior level and those (visible in the video) are his school… pic.twitter.com/SxYdY9n29n
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) September 27, 2024
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Punjab: Blast near army cantt area in Amritsar, hours after explosion in Jalandhar
Chandigarh (PTI): An explosion occurred near the army cantonment area in Khasa late Tuesday night in Punjab's Amritsar, the second such incident which took place around three hours after a blast outside the headquarters of the Border Security Force's Punjab Frontier in Jalandhar.
According to the police, an investigation into both blast incidents is currently underway, and no injuries have been reported.
The first explosion happened around 8 pm in Jalandhar, while the second blast occurred at approximately 11 pm in Amritsar.
Amritsar (Rural) Senior Superintendent of Police Suhail Mir Qasim stated that police received reports of a loud sound at around 11 pm on a road in Khasa. "Our teams arrived on the scene immediately," he said.
Preliminary inspections indicated that someone had thrown an explosive device towards the boundary wall, leading to the explosion, according to the SSP.
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Police mentioned that a piece of a tin sheet covering the boundary wall had fallen as a result of the blast.
Following the explosion, a team of forensic and bomb disposal squad visited the site to collect samples.
Amritsar Rural Superintendent of Police Aditya S. Warrier, who also visited the scene, confirmed that further investigations are ongoing. Police added that a team of army officials also assessed the situation, after which the area was cordoned off.
CCTV footage from the vicinity shows the explosion occurring at night. A local villager reported that his family was awakened by the loud sound and came outside their home to see what had happened.
Before the Amritsar explosion, a blast took place outside the headquarters of the Border Security Force's Punjab Frontier in Jalandhar district around 8 pm on Tuesday, causing panic in the area.
CCTV footage captured the explosion, which resulted in a cloud of smoke. An unidentified man was seen running for cover following the blast.
The blast ripped apart a scooter, damaged a traffic signal pole and windowpanes of a nearby shop. Locals recounted that the scooter, which was parked outside the BSF headquarters, Punjab Frontier, caught fire shortly after a loud sound. It belonged to Gurpreet Singh, who regularly delivers parcels in the area.
Talking to reporters on Tuesday night, one of Gurpreet's relatives said that the scooter caught fire as he was approaching it. He immediately called his father and informed him about the incident.
Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur confirmed to reporters late Tuesday that an Activa scooter parked near the gate caught fire suddenly. She stated that Gurpreet is fully cooperating with the investigation.
Witnesses nearby reported hearing a loud sound following the explosion.
On April 27, an explosion occurred at a freight corridor rail track in Shambhu in Patiala. Police had arrested four members of a pro-Khalistan terror module, backed by Pakistan's ISI, for the blast.
In light of these incidents, opposition parties have condemned the AAP government for its handling of the situation.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal criticised Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who also holds the home portfolio, over the recent blasts.
"Three blasts in 10 days, two in a single day, May 5: Jalandhar outside BSF headquarters and Sri Amritsar Sahib Army area, April 27: Rajpura rail track. Continued intelligence failures and the collapse of law and order are a matter of grave concern. Chief Minister @BhagwantMann, who is also the state Home Minister, is busy with mimicry and cheap politics. He has forfeited the right to remain in office," Badal said in a post on X.
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also slammed the Mann government over the two blasts.
"Back-to-back blasts have shaken Punjab. Yesterday in Jalandhar, and now near Khasa Camp in Amritsar, this is deeply alarming. Who is trying to destabilise our state? Why has the Punjab Government failed to prevent such incidents? What is the Government of India doing? Repeated lapses point to a serious breakdown of intelligence and security. Punjab's peace cannot be compromised. We demand accountability and immediate action," Warring said in a post on X.
