Tanda (Hoshiarpur)/Ludhiana: Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘life threat gimmick’ was aimed at toppling a democratically elected state government.
Addressing a gathering at Tanda after laying foundation stones of development works worth ₹18 crore at the new grain market, the CM said there was no threat to the life of the Prime Minister, claiming the latter cancelled his programme on Wednesday because of the thin presence of people at the BJP rally he was to address. He said that empty chairs chided the PM due to which he went back to Delhi, citing security threat as the reason. He said the false pretext on which the PM cancelled his visit was part of a larger conspiracy to defame Punjab and “murder democracy” in the state like it was done in Jammu and Kashmir.
The CM questioned as to how the life of the PM was threatened if the protesters were more than a kilometre away. He said the Punjabis had sacrificed their lives for the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the country and they would never pose any threat to the life and security of their Prime Minister. He said it did not behove of a leader of Modi’s stature to indulge in such ‘cheap theatricals’. “The gimmick played by Modi and his coterie was aimed at imposing President’s rule in the state,” the CM said.
Calling former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh a ‘political deadwood’, Channi said he had backstabbed Punjabis, predicting a resounding defeat for the candidates of Captain’s party in the coming elections.
Earlier, the CM inaugurated an environment park in the memory of Giani Kartar Singh and a road constructed at a cost of ₹8.21 crore, besides laying foundation stone of development works, including upgrade of primary health centre at Gardhiwala, tehsil complex at Tanda Urmur, 66KV sub-station at Sansarpur village and a synthetic athletics track at Tanda.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, the CM inaugurated an environment park in the memory of Giani Kartar Singh and a road constructed at a cost of ₹8.21 crore, besides laying foundation stone of development works, including upgrade of primary health centre at Gardhiwala, tehsil complex at Tanda Urmur, 66KV sub-station at Sansarpur village and a synthetic athletics track at Tanda.
{{/usCountry}}The chief minister also addressed a rally at Macchiwara, which is part of the Samrala assembly segment, in Ludhiana district. “Today there are 70,000 people here, yesterday (Wednesday) there were only 7,000 in Ferozepur. Protesters block my routes as well, but instead of running away, I take the alternative road,” he said in his address at the rally. Channi said had there been any danger to the life of the Prime Minister, Punjabis are nationalist enough to shed their blood to ensure his (PM) safety.