Navjot Sidhu attacks Bhagwant Mann, says 'Punjab CM has become a rubber doll'

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday dubbed Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as a "rubber doll", alluding to the Opposition charge that the state government is being run by the AAP leadership from Delhi.

He claimed that the law and order situation in Punjab has "deteriorated drastically" under the Mann government, with 40 people killed in a month.

Sidhu, along with former MLAs Navtej Singh Cheema and Ashwani Sekhri, met Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit here and raised several issues, including the law and order situation in the state.

After the meeting, the Congress leader said, "Does he (Bhagwant Mann) care about Punjab?" "The chief minister has become a 'rubber da gudda' (rubber doll)," Sidhu told reporters.

"Punjab's CM should be 'ankhila' (a self-respecting man) who could not be pulled by strings," Sidhu added. "Someone is playing the game but someone else is dancing and speaking. The person who is playing the game while sitting in Delhi is the masquerader and he is getting unmasked," said Sidhu in an apparent dig at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal.

The former Punjab Congress chief said the law and order situation in the state has "deteriorated drastically" under the Mann government.

He claimed 40 people have been killed in the state in the last month. Sidhu alleged the Punjab government is using the police force to target those who raise their voice against Kejriwal.

"You are politicising the police force to use it for your own interests," he said attacking the AAP government. "Whether it is 'badlav' (change) or 'badla' (vendetta)... vendetta politics has started," he said.

Sidhu's remarks came a day after the Punjab Police visited the homes of former AAP leader Kumar Vishwas and Congress' Alka Lamba in connection with a case registered over "inflammatory statements" against Kejriwal.

Both leaders have been summoned for questioning on April 26. Targeting the Aam Aadmi Party, Sidhu accused it of "selling lies" to people in order to grab power in Punjab.

"You sold lies and dreams but you do not have resources to fulfil them, '' said Sidhu. "What was the need for making tall promises," he asked while pointing out that Punjab's financial position was the "worst" in the country.

He said 85 per cent of the state's revenue is being spent on salaries, pension and repaying debt. On the electricity front, the former Punjab Congress chief asked the Mann-led government how it will meet the rising demand.

"Today, the demand for power has reached 8,000 MW and the government is unable to meet it," said Sidhu claiming that thermal power plants are getting shut because of coal shortage.

"When the demand for power reaches 15,000 MW, then how will they meet it," he asked. Sidhu demanded that wheat growers be given Rs 500 per quintal for the drop in crop yield because of early onset of heat wave.