No intention to continue in Congress, but not joining BJP: Amarinder
Darpan News Desk IANS, 30 Sep, 2021 10:48 AM
New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS) Scotching speculation to the contrary, former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday made it clear he was not joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but had no intention of continuing in the Congress either, which he said was going downhill with senior leaders completely ignored and not given a voice.
Denying any move to join the BJP, Captain Amarinder Singh said he would leave the Congress where he had been utterly humiliated and was not trusted.
"I will resign, will not stay in the party," he said, adding that he was still thinking through his options in the interest of Punjab, whose security was the predominant priority for him.
"I will not be treated in this humiliating manner. I will not take such insults," he said, adding that his principles and beliefs do not allow him to stay in the Congress.
Terming the senior Congressmen as the thinkers, who were critical to the future of the party, the former Chief Minister said the younger leadership should be promoted to implement the plans, which the senior leaders are best equipped to formulate.
Unfortunately, the seniors were being completely sidelined, he said, adding this was not good for the party. He also condemned the attack on Kapil Sibal's house by Congress workers only because he had chosen to express views that were not palatable to the party leadership.
Expressing hope that Punjab would vote for the future of the state, he said his experience showed that the people of Punjab tend to vote for a single party or force, irrespective of the number of parties in the fray.
Misgovernance in Punjab would give Pakistan the opportunity to create trouble in the state and in the country, he said, adding that his meeting with NSA Ajit Doval this morning focused around this issue.
Captain Amarinder had raised security concerns with Home Minister Amit Shah too, along with the farmers' issue, during his meeting with the latter on Wednesday.
Taking a dig at those who undermine the growing Pakistani threat in Punjab, he said that such people were playing into the hands of anti-India forces by being in denial mode. "They (Pak-backed elements) are killing our soldiers every day, they are pushing weapons into the state through drones. How can we overlook these dangers," he added.
Reiterating his opinion on Navjot Singh Sidhu, Captain Amarinder described him as a mere crowd puller who does not know how to carry his team along.
Pointing out that he had personally worked with many PCC chiefs, besides himself being one, he said he always resolved issues amicably, without indulging in theatrics like Sidhu.
Ranjit Singh, a former follower of Ram Rahim, was shot dead by four assailants on July 10, 2002, in Kurukshetra after he allegedly "raised his voice" against the self-styled godman, who is currently lodged at the high-security Sunaria jail in Rohtak, 250 kms from state capital Chandigarh.
Bharatiya Janata Party chief J P Nadda on Tuesday asked the Congress national leadership to clarify their stand on whether they support the remarks on Kashmir and Pakistan made by party leaders in Punjab. Nadda said that the silence of the Congress leadership will be seen as being implicit to such objectionable remarks.
The farmers union leaders had earlier pointed out that Punjab had failed to hike sugarcane SAP in proportion to Haryana over this period, causing fiscal losses to them.
The Punjab Congress leaders who have distanced themselves from the so-called festering revolt in the party are: Kuldeep Vaid, Dalvir Singh Goldie, Santokh Singh, Angad Singh, Raja Warring and Gurkirat Singh Kotli, all MLAs, and Bhalaipur Ajit Singh Mofar, a former MLA.
Gurbachan Singh (55) was a relieved man after he welcomed his three sons at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here. They were among the 78 Afghan- Indians who were evacuated from Kabul to Tajikistan on Monday and to Delhi on Tuesday afternoon.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters along with former Finance Minister P. Chidamabaram, Gandhi said: "The Prime Minister and the BJP said that the Congress had done nothing in last 70 years. There is a list here of all the assets that the Congress has helped build using the public money.
