Dy CM Randhawa claims BJP wants to ‘defame Punjab’ over PM Modi security breach

Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Wednesday lashed out at the Centre over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security breach in Punjab on January 5. While talking to the media, the deputy CM asked if BJP wanted to defame Punjab. He claimed that BJP workers were present at the spot. He said, “I don't know if farmers were even there during PM Modi's security breach; there were BJP flags, not farmers’ flags. And no Modi Murdabad slogans were there."

“They said in the meeting that we were involved. I am ready to resign and I am ready to apologise to PM if it is true. I don’t know why SPG made them wait. What do they want to prove? They say that Pakistan was just 20 km away from them. Are they trying to say that we are terrorists? This is 'Mughal talk," the deputy CM said. 

Questioning BJP’s contribution to the nation during British rule, Randhawa stated that Punjabis sacrificed themselves during that period.

‘The whole Punjab is with CM Channi’: Dy CM Sukhjinder Randhawa

On the Enforcement Directorate raids at the residence of the nephew of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, the deputy CM said that 26 people have received FIR on the involvement in the seizure of Rs 10 crore. “We don’t know from where they have ceased it and showing it here. I will say that ED can raid on me and I will say that the Rs 10 crore is mine. Return it back to me.”

Declaring support to the CM Channi, he said, “If our CM is SC, it doesn’t mean he is weak. We are with him. The whole Punjab is with him. PM Modi is acting like Mughals. We will fight against him.”

‘Cleaned the clutter of Capt Amarinder Singh in 100 days’

Hitting out at Captain Amarinder Singh, Randhawa asserted that the existing Punjab government has cleared the clutter of Captain Amarinder Singh in 100 days. He said, “Captain Amarinder Singh made an inquiry on me and High Court even found nothing for me. I told in the cabinet that if anyone is running the sand mafia, then it is Amarinder Singh. He and his whole family is thief.”

Punjab Elections 2022

In a key development, the Election Commission of India on Monday deferred the date of polling in Punjab by six days. The Assembly elections in the northern state will now be held on February 20 and the results will be declared on March 10.  

With less than a month to go for the assembly elections in Punjab, the Republic TV-PMARQ Opinion Poll has presented a snapshot projection of where the various parties stand at the moment in the state. For Punjab, which goes to the polls in a month, the Opinion Poll projects that AAP may bag 50-56 seats (37.8 %) of the total 117 seats, Congress 42-48 seats (35%), SAD 13 to 17 seats (15.8%), BJP 1-3 seats (5.7%) and others 1-3 seats (5.6%).

Image: ANI/PTI