Punjab polls: Channi is General without soldiers, says Rajnath Singh

Rajnath Singh campaigned for BJP candidate Gaurav Kakkar in Faridkot, and also addressed a public gathering at Muktsar

Senior BJP leader and defence minister Rajnath Singh said that Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi has no control over his own government. “Channi is a general without soldiers. Congress leaders are fighting with each other. Even the CM and state party president Navjot Singh Sidhu are at loggerheads. Gaon bassa nahi aur looterey sakriye ho gaye hain (The thieves are active even before the village could take shape). There is total indiscipline in Congress. During Priyanka Gandhi’s rally, Sidhu refused to address the gathering,” he said.

Without naming Congress, Rajnath Singh said Guru Nanak Dev’s birthplace Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib could have been part of India had Congress leaders taken a stand for the same during the Partition (HT)

Rajnath had reached Faridkot to campaign for BJP candidate Gaurav Kakkar, and later he also addressed a public gathering at Muktsar. He said no one can stop the BJP-PLC (Punjab Lok Congress) alliance from forming the government in Punjab.

Without naming Congress, Rajnath said Guru Nanak Dev’s birthplace Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib could have been part of India had Congress leaders taken a stand for the same during the Partition. “This has always hurt me deep inside. There are people who are trying to divide Hindus and Sikhs but they will never succeed. BJP has never done politics on religion, we believe in development,” he said.

“Punjab is a border state and peace here is important for the entire country. The people of Punjab have made supreme sacrifices to protect the nation. We assure you that it should not go in vain. Justice was not served to the victims of the 1984 Sikh riots in Delhi until BJP formed the government. I was the home minister and got to know that around ₹80 crore kept for the victim families were lying unused. I immediately ordered release of the amount and ₹5 lakh to each victim family was given,” he added.

“The Congress has been ruling Punjab, but they did nothing for the state. I want to ask them why BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh has developed rapidly but Punjab is lagging behind? When BJP will form the government, we will make a new Punjab,” he added.