AAP asks Punjab Cong pres to apologise for remarks or face state-wide protest

The ultimatum was given by leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema after Jakhar alleged that an advertisement issued by the AAP government in Delhi exposed the “separatist” face of the party

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday asked Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar to apologise for his “irresponsible remarks” against the party within one week or face a state-wide protest.

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The ultimatum was given by leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema after Jakhar alleged that an advertisement issued by the AAP government in Delhi exposed the “separatist” face of the party. The Delhi government’s advertisement for recruitment of civil defence volunteers had stoked a controversy as it incorrectly referred to the people of Sikkim as a separate category from Indian citizens. Though the AAP said it was an error by an official who had been suspended, Jakhar tweeted: “Claim of being a mistake is belied as AAP patronised terrorists and separatists during Punjab assembly election ’17 also (sic)”.

At a press conference in Chandigarh, Cheema accused the state Congress chief of making the “unfortunate” remarks to hide his own failures and that of the Congress government in Punjab at a time when the entire country is combating the coronavirus.

“Jakhar is merely trying to regain the lost political ground after he lost elections in different parts of the state. If there was any truth in his allegations, what was the Congress government doing for three-and-a-half years? Why it did not take any action?” he asked.

“What about numerous faux pas by the deputy commissioners and a minister that left many people embarrassed and hurt the Sikh sentiments in Punjab. Jakhar used to hold two press conferences every week to speak out against mafias during the previous Akali regime, but is maintaining total silence now as all those activities were still going on under the Congress government,” Cheema claimed.