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 “bhaiya 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 Das 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.