In the thick of controversy over sending inappropriate text messages to a woman IAS officer, Punjab Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Tuesday alleged that the Opposition was giving political colour to the episode as he had been pressing for strict action against Akali Dal leaders in the Bargari sacrilege incident.
Mr. Channi said that the messages were “unintentionally and mistakenly” forwarded to the lady officer. “I had apologised to the officer and she had accepted it. I am being targeted by the Opposition as I have been raising the sacrilege incident and issues concerning Dalits in the State,” he said.
Mr. Channi added that Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is aware of the incident and has even issued a statement in this regard. “I will meet him once he is back from abroad [Turkey],” he said.
Meanwhile, the Shiromani Akali Dal accused Mr. Channi of playing the "Dalit card" to absolve himself of the incident. Akali Dal leaders Gulzar Singh Ranike, Sohan Singh Thandal and Pawan Kumar Tinu in a joint statement dubbed the incident of sending text messages as a “disgrace” for the government and demanded immediate dismissal of Mr. Channi and a case against him.
Mr. Channi was recently accused by a woman IAS officer of sending her inappropriate text messages. The Chief Minister released a statement specifying that the matter had been taken up seriously and, to the best of his knowledge, resolved to the officer’s satisfaction.
