New Delhi: Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi unleashed a massive controversy today, citing the case of jailed Khadoor MP Amritpal Singh in the Lok Sabha to compare the BJP rule to Emergency. While his remark was expunged from the Lok Sabha records, it drew a strong rebuttal from the BJP, which questioned if the Congress has started backing Khalistan sympathisers despite the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala posted a scathing message on social media.
"Congress MP and Former Punjab CM Channi bats for radical pro-Khalistan separatist Amritpal Singh. Is this Jai Sanvidhan? 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?" his post read.
The Congress has already distanced itself from Mr Channi's comments. "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," the party's media in-charge Jairam Ramesh posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Amritpal Singh --- accused of being a Khalistan sympathizer -- was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA). He contested the recent Lok Sabha election from jail and became a Lok Sabha member after winning from Khadoor by four lakh votes.
"The Congress party is now supporting separatist, Khalistani elements? The same Congress party makes tall claims about protecting the constitution, are they protecting the constitution by saying this? The person who stands by the assassination of Indira Gandhi, who talks about dividing the country, you are supporting him today. this is competitive appeasement politics on display," Mr Poonawala also said.
Union minister Giriraj Singh said Congress MP Channi's remarks made in Parliament were "unfortunate".
"On Channi's statement, I would only say that Indira Gandhi's assassin was a Khalistani and Congress is supporting Khalistani. Waah re Congress, Jai Channi. This is an attack on India's sovereignty. Action should be taken on this...Congress ka haath, Khalistanion ke saath," he told reporters outside parliament.
BJP MP Dinesh Sharma demanded that the Congress expel Mr Channi.
Declaring that Mr Channi was "working at the behest of anti-national elements from Canada," he said, "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".
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also distanced himself from the comment, saying it was Mr Channi's "personal opinion".
But his comment carried a sting in the tail for Aam Aadmi Party's INDIA ally. "The Congress should decide their stand. Half the Congress is not in tune. To maintain law and order we will take action. I am not a custodian of one MP. I am the custodian of people of Punjab," he said.