Charanjit Singh Channi accuses Arvind Kejriwal of hypocrisy, says what common man can afford costly hotels

Sukhmeet Bhasin
Tribune News Service
Mansa, December 28

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi described Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s autorickshaw ride to a driver’s house in Ludhiana last month as “theatrics” on Monday.

Channi was in the district for various projects, such as formally giving Beniwal sub-tehsil status, announcing the upgrading of a middle school in Jhunir to senior secondary level as well as flagging of renovations to the Sardulgarh hospital, called Kejriwal and his allies the “East India Company”, once again invoking the “outsider” card against the Aam Aadmi Patry’s national convener.

Channi also accused Kejriwal of hypocrisy, saying that he used an autorickshaw last month to go to one person’s house but all the while staying at the “costliest hotels” during his visit to the state. ‘

“What common man (aam aadmi) can afford a lavish lifestyle and costly hotels,” he said.

Channi also used the stage totatget Congress’s other rivals, the Shiromani akali Dal. He accused the Badals and Bikram Singh Majithia of having robbed the state for their personal gains.

Majithia, he claimed, had ruined Punjab’s youngsters and has now gone into hiding because he’s afraid of being arrested. He accused the Badals of running a “Transport Mafia” in the state, claiming that his own government had put paid to that in a matter of three months.

Channi took over as chief minister of the state only in September, days after his predecessor Amarinder Singh resigned claiming he was “humiliated”.

“We are strong and capable enough to take strong decisions to stop all kinds of Mafia in the state whereas the AAP Convener has given a written apology to the Majithia,” he claimed.

He claimed that his government had given Rs 12,000 as compensation to farmers whose crops were damaged in this year’s pink bollworm attack and that Rs 5,000 more was in the pipeline. Box

Meanwhile, Bhagwant Singh, nephew of SAD leader and Rajya Sabha Member Balwinder Singh Bhunder, joined the Congress on Monday.