Modi's 'life threat' gimmick aimed at toppling govt: Punjab CM
Darpan News Desk IANS, 06 Jan, 2022 02:22 PM
Chandigarh, Jan 6 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'life threat' gimmick was aimed at toppling the democratically elected government in the state.
Addressing a gathering in Tanda in Hoshiarpur district after laying the foundation stone of development work, the Chief Minister said there was no threat to the life of the Prime Minister but he cancelled his programme on Wednesday because of the thin presence of people at the BJP's rally.
He said empty chairs would have greeted the Prime Minister due to which he went back to the national capital, citing the frivolous reason of a security threat.
Channi said the false pretext on which Modi cancelled his visit is a part of a larger conspiracy to defame Punjab and murder democracy in the state on the lines of what was done earlier in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Chief Minister said how can the life of the Prime Minister be threatened if the protestors were more than a kilometre away from him.
He said at the place where Modi's cavalcade stopped not even a slogan was raised, then how was his life threatened.
Channi reminded the Prime Minister that Punjabis have sacrificed their lives for the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the country, adding that they can never pose any danger to the life and security of the Prime Minister.
Channi said Modi is a respected leader of the nation but it doesn't behove a leader of his stature to indulge in such cheap theatricals.
He said the thin presence of people at the rally has exposed the poor position of the BJP in the state which is not going down well with its entire leadership.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has ordered Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) to cancel or revisit all the "one-sided" pacts with private companies that are not contractually obligated to supply sufficient power to meet the state's peak demand during the paddy sowing and summer season.
The new leadership team, led by state chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, had called on the Chief Minister and submitted a letter listing out some issues as needing urgent settlement.
The bodies of Khare Besra, 75 and his wife Curki Devi, 70, were recovered from Baragarda jungle of Giridih. The old couple, residents of Kumharlalo panchayat, had gone into the jungle on Saturday but had not returned and other villagers had filed a missing report with police.
Chairing a high-level meeting to review the demands of the striking employees, he expressed concern over their continued agitation, which has severely impacted the functioning of various state government departments.
The opposition has been continuously attacking the government after it told the Parliament on July 20 that states have not reported any death due to oxygen during the second wave.
