New Delhi: A day after Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi's UP, Bihar ke bhaiyya remark, opposition parties have hit out at Channi and the Congress.
Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal condemned the comments made by the CM, and said Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi is also a 'bhaiyya' since she is from Uttar Pradesh.
"It is very shameful. We strongly condemn comments aimed at any individual or any particular community. Priyanka Gandhi also belongs to UP so she is also a bhaiya," said Kejriwal.
Channi, during a rally in Punjab on Tuesday, said, "...don't let UP, Bihar ke bhaiyya enter Punjab". While he made the comments, Priyanka Gandhi was present with him and could be seen smiling and applauding.
The Bharatiya Janata Party too hit out at Channi and said that his comment is an insult to people of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Charanjit Singh Channi is the Congress's chief ministerial candidate for the Punjab assembly elections. He was elected after tele-voting conducted by the party earlier this month. Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu was also in competition for the post but lost out to Channi.
By announcing Channi, a Dalit, as the chief ministerial candidate, the Congress is looking to woo the 32 per cent Dalit votes in Punjab that could turn out to be a decisive factor in the elections.
Election to the 117-member Punjab assembly will be held on February 20. Polling in the state was scheduled for February 14 but after demand from almost every key political parties on account of Guru Ravidas Jayanti on February 16, the Election Commission changed the date.