Thikriwal (Barnala): Former Punjab chief minister and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi on Tuesday visited Thikriwal village in Barnala district to pay tributes to Punjab Riyasti Praja Mandal founder Sewa Singh Thikriwal on his 91st Martyrdom Day. While interacting with the media, Channi said he was a committed soldier of the Congress Party. “I get many offers from different quarters to join their respective parties, but I am a committed soldier of Congress Party, and will remain so till the end. “I am open to every section of society, including Dalits, and it should not be seen as voicing for any particular group or caste. The opposition parties are conspiring to create divisions in Congress.” Channi was mired in controversy after he allegedly stated that Dalits are getting the least representation in the party, as all major posts in the party were given to leaders from upper castes. Channi said, “I am and will be a Congressman, and if I ever go to any other party, nobody should vote for me. The party high command is not angry with me over my comments, which were twisted to create controversy, and opposition parties are behind all this. When I was chief minister, I worked for every section of society, whether it was electricity bills or providing dresses for school students. I stood by farmers and did not allow any case to be registered against them.”
Punjab is a guldasta (bouquet) of different religions and castes. “When farmers faced a pest attack on the cotton crop during my small tenure, I raised the compensation from Rs 12,000 per quintal to Rs 17,000 per quintal and provided 10% to Dalit labourers. When the general category called me, I went and formed a general category commission, but opposition parties are conspiring against me and the Congress,” he added. Taking on the Aam Aadmi Party govt, he said this govt did nothing to provide justice for sacrilege. “This govt is limited to making tall claims, doing nothing, and taking U-turns.” Taking on chief minister Bhagwant Mann, he said the way he is treating the Akal Takhat, the temporal seat of Sikhs, and the SGPC, the mini parliament of the Sikhs, is unacceptable. MSID:: 126790343 413 |
