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Mann should apologise for remarks on PM’s foreign visits: Haryana CM
Terming his remarks “inappropriate” and an affront to democratic values and dignity of constitutional positions, Saini asked Mann to seek an apology from the nation
Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini has criticised his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann for his recent remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign visits.
Terming them “inappropriate” and an affront to democratic values and dignity of constitutional positions, Saini asked Mann to seek an apology from the nation.
The Punjab chief minister on Thursday had criticised Modi for celebrating an honour from a foreign country with just 10,000 population while neglecting the pressing issues of his own nation with 140 crore people.
Mann has faced flak from several BJP leaders for the comment.
The ministry of external affairs (MEA) also expressed strong disapproval, calling the remarks “irresponsible”. Without naming Mann, the MEA said that the government of India disassociates itself from the unwarranted comments made by a high state authority that undermined India’s ties with friendly countries.
However, Mann raked up the issue again on Friday, this time in the state assembly, and asked Modi to “address the concerns” of 140 crore Indians. On MEA’s reaction, he asked whether he did not have the right to question a foreign policy.
“Don’t we have a right to ask the Prime Minister about his foreign policy? Do these countries that he visits support our nation afterwards? When our relation with Pakistan turned bad, did any of these countries stand by us?” Mann questioned.
Chiding Mann for his comments, Saini took to microblogging site X on Friday night. “Bhagwant Mann ji seems to have forgotten that he is commenting not only on the Prime Minister but also on the trust and leadership of 140 crore Indians. Instead of interfering in global politics, he should focus on his state, which is drowning in drug addiction, corruption and debt,” he posted.
Saini said it was the result of Modi’s efficient leadership and strong global policy that today India was progressing shoulder to shoulder with developed nations in the world.
“During a global pandemic like Corona, he not only acted as a shield to protect India but also delivered vaccines to many countries, and brought back Indians from abroad safely under the ‘Vande Bharat Mission’,” Saini wrote.
On Thursday, the Punjab chief minister had said, “He is visiting Magneshia, Galveshia, Tarveshia (sic), we don’t know where these are. (But) he is not staying in the country where 140 crore people live. These countries he visited have a population of 10,000, and he has got the biggest awards there. Over here, that many people gather just to watch a JCB machine,” he said.
