Charanjit Singh Channi, the Congress C.M. of Panjab, lashed out at the opposition Siromani Akali Dal for paving way for the R.S.S. into the region and supporting the BJP led central government’s abrogation of Article 370, which granted semi-autonomous status to Jammu Kashmir.
In the ongoing Vidhan Sabha session, where the regional parties passed a resolution against Home Ministry’s order for increased jurisdiction of about 50 km into Panjab, C.M. Channi said it was the opposition party that gave way for such policies to take place in the region.
CM Charanjit Singh Channi taking on Akali Dal and its alliance with BJP & RSS and how Akali Dal backed Centre’s decision to abrogate Art 370 in J&K. @ndtv pic.twitter.com/RxneJJ1TYW
— Mohammad Ghazali (@ghazalimohammad) November 11, 2021
Pertinently, the home ministry, last month, had released a notification extending the area of 50 km-belt in West Bengal, Panjab and Assam, running along the country’s borders, from 15 km earlier, under jurisdiction of Border Security Force (BSF) where its officers have powers of arrest, search and seizure, on par with their counterparts in police.
The notification had stirred a political debate in Panjab regarding state’s autonomy, with almost all political fronts condemning it and calling it an attack on federalism.
Meanwhile the C.M. of Panjab in the Vidhan Sabha session held today, blamed the opposition Siromani Akali Dal for paving way for the BJP-RSS front into Panjab and ruining Panjab. He also took a dig at Sukhbir Badal, by bringing up his support to abrogation of Jammu Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status.
“After Jammu Kashmir was robbed of its rights, Sukhbir Badal addressed a conference after coming out of the parliament and said what happened was right,” C.M. Channi said.
“Did he say in the parliament that it was a wrong move? I filed an RTI to see whether Mr. Badal opposed the abrogation,” he added.
“He did not vote opposing the move. He voted in favour of it along with the B.J.P.,” the C.M. said.
“It is these people who handed Panjab over to the BJP-RSS. Had it not been done, they wouldn’t have dared to touch Panjab. They wouldn’t have touched Jammu Kashmir either, but they were confident that people like Sukhbir Badal and the S.A.D were with them and they can loot the regions as per their wishes,” Channi said.
It is pertinent to mention that the BJP had been in an alliance with the Siromani Akali Dal in Panjab for years. After the centre passed the three farm laws, which have afflicted mass-protests countrywide and more so in the Panjab region, the Akali Dal ended the alliance after facing backlash from the public.