Team News Riveting
Chandigarh, February 18
Just ahead of polling in Punjab, ruling Congress is desperately combating the controversial “bhaiyas” issue fumed by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi in presence of Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Channi landed the party into trouble when he asked people of Punjab to stand together and reject the “bhaiyas”, referring to the people from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Bihar.
“Priyanka Gandhi is Punjab’s daughter-in-law, she is the bahu of Punjabis. Bhaiyas from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi cannot come here and rule. We will not allow UP bhaiyas to stray into Punjab,” Channi said at an election rally in Punjab. The video posted by the party at a social meeting filmed Priyanka laughing and clapping while Channi was making the derogatory statement.
The Chief Minister is on a defensive mode and issued a statement yesterday, a day after giving the controversial speech, stating that his statement was misconstrued.
Opposition parties including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were quick enough to hit out at Congress over the Punjab CM’s remark. The timing of the controversy has baffled the Congress as the elections are underway in Uttar Pradesh and the ‘bhaiya” dispute can be a poll plank against the Congress.
Besides opposition, Congress is now facing criticism from its own cadre. Congress MP from Punjab, Manish Tewari on Friday hit out at his own party leaders on the ‘Bhaiya’ issue, saying the controversy is like the Black issue in the US.
The statement comes amid the party’s efforts to clear air on the controversy while Congress is trying to damage control with leaders offering clarification along.
