Charanjit Channi said the "maximum number of people involved in the freedom struggle, were from Punjab".
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi -- engaged in a huge political tussle with the BJP over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security breach -- on Friday hit back with a quote from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a BJP icon.
"Someone who is concerned more about his life than his duty, should not take a big responsibility in a country like India," tweeted Mr Channi, with a photo of the freedom fighter.
Earlier in the day, in an interview with NDTV, Mr Channi had responded furiously to BJP's allegations of the state's Congress government endangering PM Modi's life with "murderous intentions".
"Where was the threat to his life? Nobody was within a kilometre of you. No stone was thrown, no bullet was fired, no slogans were raised. How can you say 'I made it alive'! Such a sensitive statement from such a big leader. People voted you as Prime Minister - you should make responsible statements. You are saying we want to kill our Prime Minister," he had said.
The Congress has repeatedly claimed that the BJP is trying to get political mileage out of the incident where PM Modi's convoy was seen stuck on a flyover as protesting farmers blocked the road to Ferozepur, where he was heading for an election rally.
The party has also claimed that the Prime Minister was not in danger at any point in the road journey, which they insisted, was undertaken without any warning to the state police.
PM Modi was expected to travel by helicopter to Ferozepur and the plan had to be changed because of the weather. The BJP has claimed that the matter was discussed earlier with the state police.
The BJP has also said that devising a land route in case of emergencies is also a part of the VIP visit protocol and a responsibility of the state police.
Pointing to the BJP outrage, Mr Channi claimed that PM Modi had turned back just to conceal the poor turnout at his rally and the BJP was just trying to use the incident to impose Central rule in Punjab.
"It is a deep conspiracy to defame Punjab and Punjabiyat. It is an attempt to vitiate the situation in the state. It is an attempt to impose President's Rule in Punjab," Mr Channi told NDTV.
"The maximum number of people involved in the freedom struggle, were from Punjab. It is therefore wrong to allege Punjab and Punjabis of such acts," he had added.