Taking strong exception to Harish Rawat’s no-holds barred attack against him, former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday rejected the Punjab Congress party affairs’ in-charge’s outrageous claims and allegations, which he said were “clearly prompted by the pathetic situation the party now found itself in the State after being on a winning spree for four and a half years”.
“Three weeks before stepping down as CM, I had offered my resignation to Sonia Gandhi but she had asked me to continue,” said Capt Amarinder, adding that the humiliating manner in which he was pushed into resigning just hours before the CLP meeting, that was clearly convened to oust him, was a matter of public record.
“The world saw the humiliation and the insult heaped on me, and yet Rawat is making claims to the contrary,” he remarked, adding, “If this was not humiliation then what was it?” “Rawat should put himself in my shoes, and then, perhaps, he would realise how insulting the entire affair was,” said Capt Amarinder. Capt Amarinder recalled that Rawat himself had publicly stated after meeting him that he was satisfied by his Government’s track record on 2017 poll promises. “In fact, the Congress in-charge of Punjab had categorically stated, as recently as September 1, that the 2022 elections would be fought under my leadership and the high command has no intention of replacing me,” he pointed out, asking, “So how can he now claim that the party leadership was dissatisfied with me, and if they were, then why did he deliberately keep me in the dark all this time?”
Ridiculing Rawat’s remarks that he seemed to be “under pressure”, the former Chief Minister said that the only pressure he had been under for the past few months was that of his own loyalty to the Congress, because of which he continued to tolerate insult after insult.
“If the party did not intend to humiliate me, then why was Navjot Singh Sidhu allowed to openly criticise and attack me on social media and other public platforms for months? Why did the party give the rebels, led by Sidhu, a free hand in undermining my authority? Why was no cognizance given to the uninterrupted spree of electoral wins I handed over to the party through the four and a half years I was in the saddle?” he asked.
Capt Amarinder asked why the Congress was allowing Sidhu even now to hold the party to ransom and continue to dictate terms. “What is the pressure he exerts on the party leadership that they are so defenceless against him and are allowing him to have his way even to the cost of the Congress’ future in Punjab?” he asked.
Reacting to Rawat’s comment regarding his secular credentials, Capt Amarinder said that even his worst critics and enemies could not doubt his integrity in this regard. “But I am no longer surprised that a senior and seasoned Congress leader like Rawat is questioning my secular credentials. It is quite evident that I am no longer trusted and respected in the party that I have served loyally all these years,” he added.
Categorically denying Rawat’s allegation that he had refused to meet Channi after the latter’s swearing-in, the former Chief Minister said that Channi had called him up on the day of his swearing-in and was supposed to come over but failed to turn up. As for not taking Rawat’s calls, Capt Amarinder said that it was all humbug. “We spoke just a day before the CLP meeting was called. Rawat told me then there was nothing in the works and even claimed he had not seen any letter sent by 43 MLAs. I am shocked at the blatant way in which he is now lying about this,” the former Chief Minister added. Capt Amarinder said that as CM twice and PPCC chief on three occasions, he had worked with stalwarts like Pranab Mukherjee, Moti Lal Vohra, Mohsina Kidwali, Meira Kumar, and Shakeel Ahmed as Congress in-charge for Punjab.