Hitting back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks suggesting that he was being “controlled” from Delhi, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant on Tuesday said that he was “elected” as the CM by the people of Punjab, while former CM Charanjit Singh Channi was “selected” as the CM by him.
“Rahul ji, it will be better if you don’t speak rubbish in Punjab… I have been made CM by the people of Punjab while (Charanjit Singh) Channi ji was appointed by Rahul Gandhi. It took you two minutes to have elected CM Captain Amarinder Singh removed and humiliated while sitting in Delhi. The Punjab Congress president is being pushed around during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. You don’t look good when you speak,” Channi said.
राहुल जी, पंजाब में आप उल्टा सीधा ना ही बोले तो अच्छा है… मुझे CM पंजाब की जनता ने बनाया है और चन्नी जी को राहुल गांधी ने..आपने 2 मिनट में चुने हुए CM कैप्टन साहब को दिल्ली से बेइज्जत करके हटा दिया था..यात्रा में पंजाब के अध्यक्ष को धक्के पड़ रहे हैं..आप बोलते अच्छे नहीं लगते.. https://t.co/YmpE1fQAKY
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) January 16, 2023
Gandhi, while addressing the people during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, said that Mann should not act under anyone’s control and must function independently.
“I want to ask Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann that you are the chief minister of Punjab, Punjab should be run from Punjab only. Bhagwant Mann should not come under pressure of (Arvind) Kejriwal ji and Delhi. You should work independently and should not be under the remote control of anyone,” said Gandhi.
Opposition parties have alleged that all major decisions of the Punjab government are being taken in Delhi by AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Meanwhile, Gandhi on Tuesday, during a press conference reiterated his stand against the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, and said, “It is a historical fact. If it is run from Delhi, then the people of Punjab will not accept it,” Gandhi said.
Gandhi also accused the BJP and the RSS of capturing all institutions in the country, alleging most institutions are working under “pressure”.
“Today all the institutions of the country are controlled by the RSS and the BJP. There is a pressure on all institutions. Press is under pressure, bureaucracy is under pressure, the Election Commission is under pressure, they put pressure on the judiciary,” he charged.
“This is not a fight between one political party and another political party. It is now a fight between the institutions of the country, which were captured by them, and the opposition,” he said.