Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh continues to face criticism after his latest "UP, Bihar ke bhaiya" remarks even as the Congress party defended him. In a yet a new criticism, another union minister RK Singh on Thursday said that the chief minister's remarks will ensure that the minute presence of the Congress party in Bihar will wane away.
Condemning the remarks the union power and energy minister further said that it is shameful that these remarks have come from the oldest party.
Strengthening his attack on the grand old party, he alleged that Congress is accustomed to dividing the country by encouraging regionalism on the lines of tukde-tukde gang but people think otherwise and this country will remain united.
RK Singh's remarks come hours after CM Channi defending his remarks said his "UP, Bihar de bhaiye..." remark was "misconstrued". "All migrant workers who came to Punjab till date, have toiled and taken it on path to development. We've only love for them, nobody can change it," he added.
Channi further said he was taking about "people who come from outside and create disruptions here (in Punjab)". "Punjab is as much of the people of UP-Bihar, Rajasthan and elsewhere, who come here & work, as much as it is ours. So, it is not right to present it in any other manner," he added.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also stood up for the minister saying that his statement was miscontrued.
Priyanka Gandhi said, "All that Chief Minister Charanjit Channi said was that Punjab should be run by Punjabis. His statement was misconstrued. I do not think anyone from Uttar Pradesh is interested in coming to Punjab and rule." Earlier this week, Channi had purportedly appealed to the people of Punjab to stop people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar from coming to the state.
"Don't let UP, Bihar ke bhaiya enter Punjab," said the Chief Minister during a roadshow with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Following this, BJP and Aam Admi Party (AAP) criticized Chief Minister Channi and Congress. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also reacted to Channi's statement.
Lashing out at Channi over his remark, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also asked if the CM could use the language for the land where Guru Ravidas and Sikh Guru Gobind Singh were born.
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