Praniti Shinde refuses to apologise to "trolls and andhbhakts" over Operation Sindoor remarks
Solapur/New Delhi: Congress MP Praniti Shinde on Wednesday stood by her remarks on Operation Sindoor and said she would not apologise to the BJP’s "trolls and andhbhakts", a day after the saffron party’s workers staged a protest against her in Solapur.
Responding to the controversy over her speech in the Lok Sabha, the first-time MP said, “If the families of those 26 people are affected, we are willing to say sorry a thousand times. But we will never apologise to these trolls and the andhbhakts of the BJP. The BJP has used Operation Sindoor for their PR tactics and optics. This is the stand we maintain even today.”
During her speech she had questioned, “Operation Sindoor was nothing but a tamasha of the government in the media. No one is telling us what was achieved. How many terrorists were caught? How many fighter jets were lost? Whose fault was it?”
BJP workers staged protests in Solapur and accused her of dishonouring the armed forces through her remarks. They also displayed a photograph of Shinde on a donkey in protest. Following the uproar, the term "tamasha" was expunged from the official Parliamentary records.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his address in Parliament on Tuesday also criticised her comments saying, “She was made to say that Operation Sindoor was a tamasha. This is like putting acid on the wounds of the 26 people killed by terrorists.”
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No stubble burning now, why air pollution crisis in Delhi: Mann takes dig at BJP
Chandigarh (PTI): Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday slammed the BJP saying its leaders used to "defame" Punjab farmers over stubble burning and blame them for Delhi's poor air quality and questioned why is there pollution crisis in national capital despite no farm fires now.
Mann said that as soon as paddy harvest takes place, BJP leaders blame Punjab and its farmers for Delhi's poor air quality.
He said they used to claim that stubble burning by Punjab farmers causes Delhi's pollution.
Mann said at present, the Air Quality Index in major Punjab cities is between 70 and 130.
"At present, Delhi's AQI is between 450 and 500 and no smoke is coming from Punjab. But the situation in Delhi is worse. At least now they should agree that there is no role of Punjab for Delhi's poor air quality," Mann said in a video message.
Mann's remarks came on a day Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa apologised for the air pollution crisis in the national capital and acknowledged its impact on children's health.
Sirsa, however, asserted that it was the result of the policies pursued by the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi.
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Last month, the BJP had trashed the Punjab CM's previous claim that stubble burning in the state has no role in the high levels of air pollution in Delhi as "ridiculous".
Dismissing Mann's claim, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva had last month said it is certain that stubble burning is a "major" factor (for the air pollution in Delhi).
Meanwhile, Mann in his video message said, due to severe floods which Punjab witnessed this year, paddy harvesting got delayed, "despite this, many Delhi ministers had already started blaming Punjab".
"I want to praise Punjab farmers, NGOs and efforts of the Punjab government have also paid off in controlling stubble burning this time. The cases of stubble burning in Punjab have reduced by 70-80 per cent and this has been acknowledged by the Central Government and the Union Agriculture Minister," Mann said.
The CM further said that after paddy harvest even the wheat crop has been sown and now, there is no incident of stubble burning.
He said BJP leaders used to claim that Punjab's smoke from stubble travels to Delhi.
"Now, there is no stubble burning, but Delhi is facing very poor air quality. This proves that earlier too Punjab's smoke had no role for Delhi's poor air quality. Only accusations were made by the BJP to defame Punjab. At least now the Centre should praise the farmers of Punjab," he said.
"Meanwhile, Delhi's AQI is between 450 and 500, flights are being cancelled, and breathing has become difficult," said Mann.
He asked both the BJP government in Delhi and the BJP led Centre to address Delhi's air pollution, saying citizens cannot even venture out for a walk due to air pollution.
He also asked the BJP that Punjab should not be dragged into this political battle, instead, Punjab's farmers should be appreciated, and the Delhi and Central governments should focus on addressing Delhi's air pollution.
Mann further said that farmers of Punjab are 'anndatas' (food providers) and they meet the country's food needs, they should not be defamed.
