Channi, Sidhu endangering national security; Amarinder has exposed Congress, says BJP’s Tarun Chugh

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 27

The BJP’s Punjab pitch for the upcoming Assembly election built around national and internal security appears to be falling in place. Praising Captain Amarinder Singh for “exposing the Congress party”, the BJP on Wednesday accused Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and state president Navjot Sidhu of “endangering national security”.

Party’s national general secretary and Punjab leader Tarun Chugh said the former Chief Minister had “exposed the Congress which would be completely wiped out in the coming Assembly election”.

Though he did not elaborate on the much-anticipated tie-up with Singh in the upcoming election, Chugh said for the saffron party internal/national security of the country is of prime importance. “We will ensure that those who are a threat to it do not come to power in Punjab. It is very important to stop and expose those who support international and local mafias, whether drugs or transport,” the BJP leader from Punjab said, adding that there are no deadlines in politics.

Terming Singh a “nationalist”, BJP’s Punjab affairs in-charge Dushyant Gautam has already specified that the party is open to an alliance with all those who put the country and its interests first. “All parties that want to form an alliance with us on this agenda are welcome,” Gautam had said.

Endorsing the security concerns raised by Singh, Chugh said this necessitated the BSF to increase its operative areas in the border states like Punjab, Rajasthan and West Bengal. He also slammed the Congress and the Akali Dal for opposing the Centre’s decision on the BSF jurisdiction and ridiculed their contention that it was an attack on the federal rights of Punjab.

“By doing so the Congress government in Punjab has been demonstrating its support to drug mafias and anti-national forces which have been operating on the border.

“Instead of joining hands with the Centre to check anti-national forces on the border, the Congress government and PCC president Navjot Sidhu seem to be extending support to them,” Chugh said, accusing both Channi and Sidhu of “trying to sabotage the efforts of the Centre to guard the borders”.

“We understand Sidhu’s sympathy for Pakistan but it is tragic that he is not sensitive to the national security concerns of a border state,” he added.

Chugh also praised Singh for “his efforts to resolve the farmers’ issues”. “While the Centre has always been open to talks with farmers and has welcomed any intervention to resolve the deadlock, farmers’ doggedness has been a matter of concern,” he said. 

Meanwhile, sources said the Centre is “always in touch with the farmers regarding their welfare issues”.