Channi calls on ex-CM amid Congress versus Capt on BSF row

Channi visited Amarinder’s residence alongwith his wife, brother and newly wed son and daughter in law in the evening. Amarinder had not Channi’s swearing-in ceremony or his son’s wedding.

On Thursday morning, former hockey Olympian and Cabinet minister Pargat Singh claimed Amarinder is hand-in-glove with the saffron party. He said the development smacked of a “design to implement Governor’s rule in the state by tagging it as a disturbed state”.

“What is Captain sahib trying to prove? I always said he is with BJP. Earlier, when he went to Delhi and met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, paddy procurement was delayed by 10 days and now when he went to Delhi again, then BSF’s jurisdiction was enhanced,” he said at a press conference.

Amarinder hit back, with his media adviser tweeting: “This is the height of irresponsibility from a state minister. You and @sherryontopp (Navjot Singh Sidhu) are clearly birds of the same feather, with nothing better to do than cook up ridiculous stories for cheap publicity.”

In another exchange, Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala asked Amarinder why he did not seek enhancement of jurisdiction of BSF when he was the chief minister. To this, Amarinder replied: “How ridiculous! You mean I’m dictating @HMOIndia decisions now not just in Punjab but also in Gujarat, WB, Assam, etc? A person who couldn’t win an election in his own state has frankly no right to speak on national issues.”

Channi visited Amarinder’s house at around 4 pm, two hours ahead of Sidhu’s meeting with party general secretary in-charge Harish Rawat and senior leader KC Venugopal in Delhi at 6 pm. Congress leaders watched his visit to his predecessor’s house keenly.

While a leader close to Channi called it a “personal visit” which had no bearing on the state of affairs between Amarinder and Congress, another leader claimed he was trying to garner support for himself against Sidhu, who was not accepting his authority as CM.

Another leader, on anonymity, said, “The visit could have waited. Today was definitely not the day.”
A senior Congress leader said Channi was invited by Amarinder on Wednesday, following which the CM went to see him.

JAKHAR HITS OUT AT CHANNI

A day after hitting out at Channi, former PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar continued with his barbs, saying that the CM “had unwittingly handed half the state to the Centre”.

“I used the word unwittingly because Channi is new to the job. What was the need for him to go and meet the Union Home Minister Amit Shah?” Jakhar asked, while talking to The Indian Express Thursday.
He said according to Channi’s own statement issued to the media that day, Channi had said that he hoped the Home Minister will take strict action on his demand and that the borders will be sealed. “This was besides taking up the issue of farm laws. He had already taken up this issue with the Prime Minister. Where was the need to go to HM? He has not only given them the excuse to push BSF further in the state but has also authenticated the narrative built by Capt Amarinder Singh that Punjab had a threat on its security. More so Channi has provided them a perfect excuse. They can also turn back to him.”
On Amarinder supporting the BJP, he said, “Captain is entitled to his view. You cannot say it is in-house fighting. He is a leader in transition.”

He added, “I do not want to get into legal aspect of the issue of federalism and infringement on rights of the state, but the development should be seen in totality starting from the former SDM of Karnal who had said “Sarr phod do”, to Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar saying “Lath utha lo” to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman castigating the Lakhimpur agitation in Harvard. It is the beginning of repression. This is how they will press and repress anyone who raises their voice against them. Punjab is the fountainhead of farmer agitation and this is a repressive and aggressive measure they have taken.”