Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on November 27 slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and asked the people to wipe them out from the electoral scene in the upcoming Assembly polls in the State.
He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the Badals were “hand in glove to barter away the interests of Punjab, be it agriculture, industry or common man’s cause”, according to an official statement.
Addressing a public rally in Barnala, Mr. Channi asked the people to identify these “dubious politicians who are hell bent upon to exploit them emotionally to the hilt”. He hit out at AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for making “tall claims” to provide financial assistance of ₹1,000 per month to every woman in the State, if voted to power. Mr. Channi also dared him to come out with facts and figures to show that this relief has been extended to how many women in Delhi.
Likewise, Mr. Channi said people of Punjab are wise enough and they will not be betrayed this time by Mr. Kejriwal’s “false” promises as he and his party has been “fully exposed” on count of “non-performance which is evident from the fact that 11 out of 20 AAP MLAs had already shifted their loyalty to other political parties”.
He also said now NRIs have also realised that it is a party with “hollow” claims which is remotely concerned with the core issues of the State.
The Punjab Chief Minister also asked Mr. Kejriwal to specify how many farmers have got the facility of loan waiver or getting free power in the agriculture sector in Delhi.
He also blamed Kejriwal for making “irresponsible utterances to pursue his vested interests by spreading misinformation about non-implementation of recent pro-people decisions taken by his government”. Mr. Channi challenged him to tell the people about the prevailing prices of petrol and diesel, besides the rates of electricity being supplied to various categories of consumers in his State, “which are far higher than in Punjab”.
Training guns at SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Mr. Channi said that the father-son duo along with his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal were “instrumental”, in getting the “draconian laws” enacted at the Centre.
Mr. Channi further asked Mr. Badal to desist from threatening the police and civil officers as they were discharging their duties with due diligence.
He said he would not be buckled down with such tactics to launch the protest at his official residence to get him and his party workers arrested.
He dared them to face the music for their “misdeeds” during decade long “misrule for the unpardonable acts of sacrilege, besides the drug, transport and cable mafia which has virtually defunct the State’s resources thus enriching their personal coffers”. He said, “Now it is the turn of the cable mafia as being run by the proteges of Badals across the State, who have looted the people through monopolising this trade thus depleting the State’s financial resources.”
Lambasting Mr. Amarinder Singh for expressing gratitude to PM Modi for announcing to repeal three farm laws, Mr. Channi said he failed to comprehend how a true Punjabi can rejoice over this decision since nearly 700 farmers have lost their lives during the year-long agitation at Delhi borders and in other parts of the State.
Meanwhile, Mr. Channi asked the protesters to desist from climbing up an overhand water tank to press the State government to accept their demands.
“Whosoever climbs up to the overhead water tank, I will not accept his demand. FIR can be registered against him,” said Mr. Channi.
His statement came as Mr. Kejriwal on November 27 spoke to some protesting teachers who had been sitting atop an overhead water tank in Mohali district over their demands.
