Charanjit Channi said that “the maximum number of people involved in the freedom struggle were from Punjab”.
New Delhi:
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi – engaged in a major political tussle with the BJP over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security breach – on Friday hit back with a quote from BJP’s icon Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Along with the picture of the freedom fighter, Mr Channi tweeted, “A person who is more concerned about his life than his duty, should not take big responsibility in a country like India.”
One who cares more about life than duty, he should not take big responsibility in a country like India!
– Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel pic.twitter.com/zefpEroVAF
Charanjit S Channi (Charanjitchanni) 7 January 2022
Earlier in the day, in an interview with NDTV, Mr Channi had reacted furiously to the BJP’s allegations of the state’s Congress government endangering PM Modi’s life with “murder intent”.
“Where was the threat to their lives? No one was within a kilometer of you. No stones were thrown, no shots were fired, no slogans were raised. How can you say ‘I made it alive’ ! Such a sensitive statement big leader. People voted you as prime minister – you should make responsible statement. You are saying that we want to kill our prime minister,” he had said.
The Congress has repeatedly claimed that the BJP is trying to take political mileage out of the incident where PM Modi’s convoy was stuck on a flyover as protesting farmers blocked the road to Ferozepur, where He was going for an election rally.
The party has also claimed that the prime minister was not in danger at any point in the road trip, which, he insisted, was done without any warning to the state police.
PM Modi was expected to fly to Ferozepur by helicopter and the plan had to be changed due to weather. The BJP has claimed that the matter was earlier discussed with the state police.
The BJP has also said that preparing land routes in case of emergency is also part of the VIP visit protocol and it is the responsibility of the state police.
Pointing to the BJP’s displeasure, Mr Channi claimed that PM Modi had returned at his rally to hide the poor turnout and that the BJP was using the incident to try to impose central rule in Punjab.
“It is a deep conspiracy to defame Punjab and Punjabiyat. It is an attempt to malign the condition of the state. It is an attempt to impose President’s rule in Punjab,” Channi told NDTV.
“The maximum number of people involved in the freedom struggle were from Punjab. So it is wrong to blame Punjab and Punjabis for such acts,” he said.
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