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Dehradun/Chandigarh: Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat on Friday said Amarinder Singh’s “closeness” with BJP leaders like Amit Shah puts a question mark on his secular credentials and warned the Center not to attempt to topple the majority government in the state.
Alleging that the former Punjab chief minister was playing in the hands of those with whom he had no ideological links, Rawat said Singh should have stood with the Congress leadership to save democracy.
Singh, who resigned from the top post in the state last month, had met Shah in Delhi on Wednesday and said he had discussed the long-standing farmers’ agitation against the three agricultural laws with the Union home minister. .
“His closeness with Amit Shah and some other BJP leaders casts doubt on his secular credentials,” he told a press conference here.
Rawat advised Singh not to fall into the trap of the BJP and become its ‘mask’ in Punjab.
Refuting Singh’s statement that he would quit the Congress as he had been “utterly humiliated”, Rawat said the party always respected him.
“The principle of humiliation is being carried forward under someone’s pressure,” he said, adding that Singh should not directly or indirectly help the BJP which is “anti-Punjab and anti-farmer”.
Amarinder Singh was the Punjab Congress President thrice and Chief Minister twice. Is it an insult? He should compare himself with senior party leaders who got little from him in terms of opportunities.
Singh on Thursday dismissed speculation of joining the BJP, but said he would quit the Congress, which he insisted senior leaders were being overlooked.
“At a time when the country is facing the challenge of saving democracy, Amarinder Singh should have stood by (Congress chief) Sonia Gandhi and used democratic values instead of playing in the hands of those who use her so-called humiliation. He should have strengthened his fight to save. For political reasons,” Rawat said.
Rawat also warned the BJP-led Center not to attempt to topple the majority government in Punjab.
The Punjab Congress in-charge also said that there has been positive progress in talks between Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Navjot Singh Sidhu, who has resigned as the party’s state unit chief.
Rawat said Channi belongs to the Dalit community and every political party should support him. He said that the Chief Minister is taking many decisions in the public interest.
But I warn the BJP government at the Center not to try to topple the majority government in Punjab, he said.
Hinting that some Congress MLAs are unhappy with Singh on certain issues and referring to electing a new legislature party leader, Rawat said, “What has been done (by having a new leader in Channi) is his (Singh). ) to protect. To honor and improve the prospects of Congress in Punjab.
He also said that the Punjab government on Wednesday waived off the electricity bills of those having electricity connection up to two kilowatts. He said that in a day or two, the Channi government would announce that up to 300 units of electricity would be given free of cost to the citizens.
Rawat’s remarks came after the Aam Aadmi Party promised 300 units of free electricity per month for each household in Punjab if it wins the 2022 assembly elections in the state.
With the opposition targeting the Congress government over its inaction in sacrilege cases, Rawat said some tough steps would be taken in the next 15-20 days on the issues of sacrilege and drug menace.
On the uproar in the Punjab Congress unit, Rawat said that Channi is running the government with full command.
On Sidhu’s resignation, he said that people sometimes take some steps guided by emotions.
Sidhu had on Wednesday questioned the appointment of the DGP, state advocate general and “tainted” leaders.
On some issues, we are aware of Sidhu’s sentiments, Rawat said, adding that the chief minister and Sidhu had talks and everything will be resolved by the Punjab unit itself.
A coordination panel will be set up, which is expected to be consulted by the Punjab government before taking any major decision in future.
The decision to form the panel was taken after a meeting of over two hours between Channi and Sidhu here on Thursday.
Rawat said that the entire country has welcomed the decision to make Channi the Chief Minister.
Rawat said that it has happened after years that a person from a humble background and who belongs to the Dalit community was made the Chief Minister.
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