Sending 'outsiders' to Rajya Sabha: Betrayal, blow to Punjabiat, says Congress

Chandigarh, March 21

The Congress today targeted the AAP for falsely talking about Punjab and Punjabiat, going by the non-Punjabis among those who have been nominated to the Rajya Sabha. Party leaders said it was betrayal of Punjab mandate.

Also read: Navjot Sidhu takes potshots at Kejriwal on AAP’s Punjab Rajya Sabha picks

Rajya Sabha election: 2 poll strategists, 2 bizmen, cricketer file nominations from Punjab

AAP justifies move

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Both Cong & SAD used to nominate ‘outsider’ Punjabis, who would never visit state after filing nominations. — Neel Garg, AAP Spokesperson

As AAP nominees Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Sanjeev Arora and Ashok Mittal filed their nominations to the Rajya Sabha, Congress MLA Sukhjinder Randhawa alleged the AAP had set a new trend of sending “outsiders” from Punjab to the RS.

Questioning the nominations of Arora and Mittal, Gidderbaha MLA Amrinder Raja Warring said there were many who were doing genuine social work and running NGOs. People like Balbir Seechewal and those running the Pingalwara should have been nominated.

Bholath MLA Sukhpal Khaira said the CM should have honoured his commitment to nominate Bibi Paramjit Kaur Khalra, a victim of police brutality and champion of human rights.

Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh said the RS was the forum where the interest of the states were raised. “AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal has shown his true face by nominating those who have no history of standing up for Punjab. A couple of them even do not belong to Punjab.”

Meanwhile, the SAD has termed the nomination as betrayal with the people of the state, saying the party had struck the first blow against “Punjab and Punjabiat” with the move.

Former CM Parkash Singh Badal raised concern over the state’s river waters, saying the AAP government would now snatch it away from the state.

In a statement, SAD legislative wing leader Manpreet Singh Ayali said: “Is this the ‘badlav’ the AAP was talking about? The AAP seems to have cheated Punjabis by doling out RS ticket to businessmen, besides rewarding a strategist.”