Capt dubs reports of his differences with Jakhar as media creation

| | Mohali | in Chandigarh

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday dismissed reports of his differences with the state Congress president Sunil Jakhar as a media creation, even as he declared that the Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’ case was none of the Akalis’ business and they should stay out of it.

Capt Amarinder, in an informal chat with media-persons after flagging off a fleet of nine new ambulances, said that there were absolutely no problems between him and Gurdaspur MP Sunil Jakhar.

“It is the creation of the media, which has blown out of proportion a small incident in which Jakhar had left without meeting me because I had to go somewhere else,” said Capt Amarinder.

Once again ruling out the need for Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to quit over the Supreme Court proceedings in the road rage case against him, Capt Amarinder said that the situation did not warrant Sidhu’s resignation.

He lambasted the Akalis for seeking his resignation, asking them to keep out of the affair, which was nothing to do with them.

Responding to a query on Phagwara clash, the Chief Minister said that the situation was completely under control. “While some of the culprits responsible for the violence that took place on Ambedkar Jayanti are already in custody, the others would also soon be arrested,” he said.

There was no law and order problem there now, said Capt Amarinder, asserting that his government would not allow anyone to disturb the state’s peace and communal harmony.

Strict action would be taken against elements trying to trigger any kind of disturbance in the state, he added.

Earlier, speaking at the flag-off event, the Chief Minister said that a Chinese company had expressed interest in setting up a mobile handset manufacturing unit in Mohali, which was emerging as a major industrial and IT hub.

He expressed satisfaction at the positive response received by his government from industry and investors not just from within the country but also from other parts of the world.