'MP detained under NSA an emergency': Channi's reference to Amritpal triggers row in LS
Cong distances itself from Channi's 'remarks on Amritpal'
New Delhi, Jul 25: Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi said Thursday that the detention of an elected MP under the NSA was part of an "undeclared emergency" by the Centre, drawing a sharp response from the BJP who said he was referring to jailed radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh.
During a debate in Lok Sabha, the former Punjab chief minister referred to the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections and said, "This is also an emergency that a Member of Parliament elected by 20 lakh people in Punjab has been detained under the NSA (National Security Act) ... He is unable to speak about his constituency here (in Parliament). This is also an emergency."
The Congress said views expressed by Channi "on Amritpal Singh" are his own and do not reflect in any way the position of the party.
"The views expressed by Charanjit Singh Channi, MP on Amritpal Singh are his own, and do not reflect in any way the position of the Indian National Congress," Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.
While Channi did not name anyone, BJP leaders said he was speaking about Amritpal Singh.
Singh won the Khadoor Sahib constituency by a margin of around 2 lakh votes in this year's Lok Sabha polls.
In a post on X, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the Congress must answer whether the party was in support of the idea of Khalistan that led to the assassination of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1984.
"Batting for separatist who wants tukde tukde of India? Rahul ji must answer - the idea of Khalistan that caused the assassination of PM Indira ji is being hailed !! Why does Congress always bat for separatists and terrorists? Yakub, Afzal, 26/11 jihadis, now K terrorists?" he said.
Union minister Giriraj Singh said Congress MP Channi's remarks made inside Parliament were "unfortunate".
"The Khalistani who assassinated Indira Gandhi has received open support from Channi today, which means the Congress is siding with the Khalistanis. This is an attack on the integrity of India...what can I say, I will say action should be taken," he told PTI videos.
BJP MP Dinesh Sharma demanded the expulsion of Channi by Congress.
"Today, Channi, who doesn't even have the status of a 'chavanni' (a quarter-rupee coin), is speaking in support of terrorists and glorifying them. He is working at the behest of anti-national elements from Canada," he told PTI Videos.
"The Congress should expel him, and if Congress doesn't take action against him, it means that somewhere Congress is in cahoots with these anti-social and anti-national elements," he said.
Channi blamed the central government for an "undeclared emergency" in the country even as a heated exchange with BJP's Ravneet Singh Bittu during a debate in the Lok Sabha led to a brief adjournment in the proceedings.
During a debate on the Union Budget in the Lower House, Channi also held the BJP government responsible for farmers being termed Khalistanis. He added that his home state Punjab was ignored in this year's budget.
Channi said, "It's not a budget to save the country, it's just to save their government. They haven't addressed the floods in Punjab, haven't raised wages, and have ignored Punjab in this budget. Jalandhar was declared a smart city, but it still has dirty water and a significant drug problem."
The Lok Sabha was adjourned for 30 minutes amid a verbal spat between the former Punjab chief minister and the Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh Bittu over certain personal remarks till 2 pm.
Channi referred to the assassination of Bittu's grandfather, former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. This led to a war of words between Bittu, who recently quit the Congress to join the BJP, and Channi.
Bittu countered by making certain personal remarks against Channi and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, triggering an uproar.
In a heated exchange, Channi told Bittu, "Your grandfather became a martyr, the day you left Congress." To which, the BJP leader retorted, "My grandfather sacrificed for the country, not for Congress." He also called Channi "the most corrupt person in Punjab".
During his address to the Lok Sabha, Channi accused the government of creating conditions similar to an emergency.
He listed the lack of progress in the Sidhu Moosewala case, action against opposition leaders by central agencies, and alleged mistreatment of farmers, women athletes, and journalists as evidence of this.
The Congress leader also pointed to the long-standing unrest in Manipur and the Hathras gang rape case, in which he said the victim's cremation was rushed.
"The country is facing an undeclared emergency and the BJP is responsible," Channi said.
"Farmers are called Khalistani when they make demands, which aren't fulfilled. This is also an emergency," he added.
The central government, he said, has exhausted its ideas and sincerity after ten years in power, pointing to the absence of the prime minister and the finance minister during "such an important discussion".
Channi said, "I come from a poor family and got my education thanks to the Congress government. The BJP's worst move in 2014 was cutting scholarships for minorities and Dalit children."
The Lok Sabha was adjourned twice in the post-lunch period as a war of words broke out between the treasury and opposition benches, triggered by Channi's spat with Bittu.
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BJP intends to incite violence by playing DJ in UP elections: Akhilesh Yadav
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday claimed that the "BJP intends to play DJs at full volume" during their campaign in Uttar Pradesh elections to deliberately "spread hatred and incite violence" in the state.
Speaking to reporters at the party office in Lucknow, Akhilesh Yadav said, "This time, the elections will be contested in Uttar Pradesh through the DJs. They intend to use DJs extensively to spread hatred and incite violence. If objectionable songs are played, there will naturally be a response from the opposing side. This appears to be yet another new conspiracy of the BJP. We have already warned the public about this."
The assembly elections are due early next year in the state.
He also referred to the recent deaths of as many as 140 chickens at a farm due to loud music from a wedding procession in Sultanpur district, with police registering a case against the DJ in this connection.
"Chickens are losing their lives due to the sound of a DJ. In fact, if a person with a weak heart were to walk past a DJ, they too could find themselves in a problem. The sound waves are so strong," Yadav said.
Referring to the cell broadcast alert system launched on Saturday, the SP chief said, "The mobile phone was switched off. The ringer was off. Yet, an alert will still appear on the device. Just think, what exactly is this preparation for? The entire BJP contests elections by creating fear, by intimidating you."
Mobile phones across the country went abuzz after Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched the cell broadcast alert system on Saturday, which will warn citizens about emergency and natural disasters in their area.
Comparing the BJP with 'Soan Papdi' (a popular sweet), Yadav said, "The BJP is a 'Soan Papdi' made of lies. They simply stack one layer of falsehood upon another. Propaganda constitutes the BJP's targeted campaign strategy. They contest elections by instilling fear in the public.
The BJP has failed to curb both inflation and corruption. Instead, they allowed their own associates to engage in profiteering, a practice that has driven both inflation and corruption to unprecedented levels." Yadav stated.
He said that the rising prices of petrol, diesel, and cooking gas inevitably drive up the cost of everything, from food and daily essentials to transportation. The common people have been "devastated by the BJP's misguided policies".
He also claimed that the government's fee structure is such that children from poor families cannot afford to study.
"It was for this very reason that 'Netaji' (Mulayam Singh Yadav) launched the 'Kanya Vidyadhan Yojana' to ensure that daughters from underprivileged families could pursue their education, advance in life, and achieve success. The promise we made regarding free education for daughters --- from KG to PG is a promise we will fulfil and deliver upon," he said.
He added that the Women's Reservation Bill has been passed by Parliament and enacted into law. However, the BJP is currently engaging in false propaganda regarding this legislation. The BJP's intentions concerning women's reservation have never been transparent. They are running a deceptive campaign specifically designed to mislead both the general public and women.
Yadav claimed that under the BJP government, all previous records regarding corruption and dishonesty have been shattered.
"The public is being fleeced under the pretext of installing 'smart meters. ' The implementation of smart meters has become a vehicle for large-scale fraud. If such dishonesty is possible with smart meters, how can Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) be considered secure? Why would it not be possible to manipulate EVMs as well?" he said.
The SP chief also said that the BJP government has completely ruined the state's education, healthcare, and law and order systems. This government has shut down 21,000 primary schools. In over 41,000 primary schools, not a single admission has been recorded. In Gorakhpur, thousands of teaching positions have been abolished.
Under the BJP government, water tanks being constructed under the 'Jal Jeevan Mission' are continuously collapsing due to corruption. These tanks are "unable to bear the weight of the BJP's corruption". The pipeline of this corruption, involving the water tanks, likely extends all the way to Kalidas Marg, he said, and expressed his gratitude to the Army officials and congratulated them for saving the lives of children during the incident involving the water tank in Siddharthnagar district.
To a question on World Press Freedom Day, where India ranked at the 157th spot, Akhilesh Yadav, in a lighter vein, said, "We will run a scheme -- give 'cash' less' laptop bags. But here the 'less' should be understood in Hindi. We will give a filled laptop bag to you."
On this occasion, Yadav also distributed laptops to meritorious students who had passed class 10th and class 12th examinations with high marks.
The former chief minister also said, "The Samajwadi Party launched the laptop distribution scheme precisely to bridge the digital divide existing between the pre- and post-digital eras."
