An AAP leader said that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is trying to expose the double standards of opposition leaders. (Image: PTI/File)
All opposition parties, including the Congress, the Akali Dal and the BJP, jointly rallied behind the editor of a leading daily who had received a VB notice regarding the construction of a martyr’s memorial.
In a scathing attack on the opposition for forging a united front against the AAP government in Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday claimed that those working against the interests of the state have come together, indicating that they are all one. ,
All the opposition parties of the state had organized a joint program in Jalandhar a few days back, accusing the state government of vendetta against political rivals. All parties including the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP rallied behind the editor of a leading daily, against whom the Vigilance Bureau had issued a notice regarding the construction of a martyr’s memorial.
In a rare photo op, Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu openly hugged his arch political rival and Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia on stage. Reacting to this so-called brotherhood, Mann took to Twitter to target the opposition parties.
“When… who fed General Dyer… who ordered tanks to demolish religious institutions… who committed sacrilege against Guru Granth Sahib… who participated in the formulation of the three controversial farm laws… who sheltered smugglers… who says ‘Clap’ on every issue… and those who earn money by building memorials of martyrs… become one. That means they are all the same,” he tweeted.
In a tweet, he targeted the Akalis and the Congress, as well as made personal attacks on Majithia, Sidhu, Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Barjinder Singh Hamdard of the Ajit faction. An AAP leader said the chief minister was trying to “expose the double standards” of opposition leaders.
“During political rallies, Sidhu had vowed to send Majithia behind bars in the drugs case. The Congress did nothing except making tall claims in the drugs case, but now the recent incident has exposed that both the parties are in collusion and working against the interests of the people of Punjab.”
Political observers said that AAP would try to cash in on the idea of its leaders posing as “very negative” photo ops, which would go against the opposition parties in the political arena. And now hugging each other,” quipped another leader.
After the event where Sidhu hugged Majithia, the Akali leader had tweeted praying for the good health of Sidhu’s wife Dr Navjot Kaur, who is unwell and under medical observation.
