Igniting a storm of controversy over his casual “bhaiyas” remarks, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi was in the line of fire of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwarts — Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, among others — campaigning in the State on Thursday.
With elections just three days away, the saffron party went all out against the Congress party accusing it of allegedly playing divisive politics in the poll-bound State. The top leaders, at their separate election rallies in Punjab, slammed the Congress party, especially Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for openly supporting Channi’s remarks by laughing, clapping, and nodding during a roadshow. Notably, Channi, on Tuesday, had stated, “Don’t let UP, Bihar, Delhi ke bhaiyas enter Punjab.”
Addressing an election rally at Fazilka, Prime Minister Modi slammed Channi for his remarks on “bhaiyya from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar”, saying that Guru Gobind Singh and Guru Ravidas too were born outside Punjab.
“It was not only an insult to people of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar but to Guru Ravi Das and Guru Gobind Singh also. Guru Ravi Das, whose birth anniversary was yesterday and who has millions of followers in Punjab, was born in Kashi in Uttar Pradesh...Is it not an insult to Guru Ravi Das also as he was from Uttar Pradesh?” he asked, adding, “Will you throw out Sant Ravi Dass also?”
Even the Sikhs’ tenth master, Guru Gobind Singh was born in Patna Sahib, he underlined, asking, “Has he not disrespected Guru Gobind Singh also?...Will you remove Guru Gobind Singh from Punjab? People of such a divisive mentality should not be allowed to rule Punjab even for one moment.”
Modi said that the relationship of Punjab and Punjabis with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is deep and sacred, and Channi had insulted the bond.
Alleging that the Congress party always pitted people of one region against another, Modi said: “Congress Chief Minister gave a statement yesterday, and the Delhi family, maalik, who was standing beside him, was clapping. The entire country has seen this...Who are they insulting by such statements? There is not one village here where people from UP, Bihar don’t toil.”
At another election rally in Amritsar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh accused the Congress party of trying to gain power by dividing the society. “Congress wants to gain power by dividing the society. Guru Nanak ji has given the message of thinking good of everyone. When he (Channi) was saying this, Priyanka Gandhi was standing there. India is the only country that not only considers all of its residents as its family member but the whole world,” said the senior BJP leader.
Addressing a gathering during a roadshow, Chief Minister Channi stirred a hornet's nest with his controversial remarks against the people of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. “Priyanka Gandhi is Punjaban. Eh Punjab di nooh hai (She is the daughter-in-law of Punjab). Punjabiyon kathe ho jao saare (all the people of Punjab, get together). These bhaiyyas from UP, Bihar, and Delhi want to come and rule Punjab...we will not let them win,” said Channi.
COMMENTS “MISINTERPRETED”, PUNJAB BELONGS TO EVERYONE, SAYS CHANNI
Under attack over his “bhaiya” remarks, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday issued a statement maintaining that he did not refer to the migrants of UP and Bihar while making his speech, but to the politicians who come to Punjab only before the elections.
Claiming that his statement was “manipulated”, Channi said: “I was talking about people who come from outside and create disruptions here. Punjab is as much of the people of UP, Bihar, Rajasthan and elsewhere, who come here and work, as much as it is ours. So, it is not right to present it in any other manner.”
“My statement was in context to people like Arvind Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh who spread anarchy in our state. Punjab belongs to everyone,” he said. Putting out a clarification, he said that his statement was twisted and misrepresented. “I only meant people like Durgesh Pathak, Sanjay Singh and Arvind Kejriwal (Aam Aadmi Party leaders) who come from outside and cause disruptions,” said Channi in a video statement in response to spiralling criticism.
“Since yesterday my statement has been twisted. Those who have shed their blood and sweat for Punjab’s progress, we have a bond of love with them and nothing can take them out of our hearts,” he added. “...those who come to UP, Bihar and Rajasthan and work in Punjab — Punjab belongs to them as much as it does to us.
Please don't portray this in a wrong way. Many come from outside and work in our factories, fields... I urge every brother, don't link yourself with people like Kejriwal,” he said.
CHANNI'S COMMENT “MISCONSTRUED"; HE SAID PUNJAB SHOULD BE RUN BY PUNJABIS: PRIYANKA
Coming to Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s defence, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday said that his ‘UP-Bihar ke bhaiya’ comment was misconstrued. “All that the CM said was that Punjab should be run by Punjabis,” she added. “His statement was misconstrued. I don’t think anyone from UP is interested in coming to Punjab and ruling,” she told a news agency.
Saying that the BJP and AAP are in Punjab only to fulfil their own desires, the Congress general secretary said that the State needs a strong and stable Government that works for its people. She also lashed out at the BJP accusing it of insulting farmers of Uttar Pradesh and cited the death of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri. “The PM is visiting Punjab only when elections are near, but not during farmers’ protests. Inflation and unemployment are at a high,” she said.