'I Am Not Like Channi...': Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Hits Back At Rahul Gandhi For 'Remote Control' Jibe

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann has hit out at Rahul Gandhi, for accusing him of being 'remote-controlled' by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his "remote-control" jibe, saying that the MP had no right to comment on others as he had humiliated a veteran party leader and former CM of the state, Captain Amarinder Singh. CM Mann also said that he was not like his predecessor Charanjit Singh Channi, who was selected by Gandhi to lead the state. 

"Unlike Charanjit Singh Channi, who was made Chief Minister by Rahul Gandhi, I have been chosen by the people to serve," said Mann. His latest comment comes after Rahul Gandhi trained guns on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), saying that Mann was acting under pressure from party convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. He said that Mann was being 'remote controlled' from Delhi.

Rahul Gandhi, who is in Punjab's Hoshiarpur for the Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra, said "Punjab should be run from Punjab and not from Delhi. I would like to tell Bhagwant Mann that he's the CM of Punjab and shouldn't come under pressure from Delhi and Arvind Kejriwal. He must work independently and not become someone's remote control."

The Punjab Chief Minister further said, "Rahul Gandhi has no moral right to say anything about democracy or democratic norms. A little knowledge is always dangerous. You have proved this by issuing baseless statements in the state. Your party caused irreparable damage to democratic norms by controlling Chief Ministers like puppets. Rahul Gandhi should look into his conscience before making such statements."

Mann said in a tweet in Punjabi, "I was made CM by the people of Punjab while (Charanjit Singh) Channi ji was (made CM) by Rahul Gandhi. You insulted and removed CM Captain (Amarinder Singh) Sahib in two minutes. The Congress president of Punjab (Amrinder Singh Raja Warring) was pushed during the yatra."

"Not a long time ago Rahul had himself dislodged Captain Amarinder Singh from Chief Ministership and humiliated him around a year back. It is also ironic that incumbent state Congress President is being disgraced in full public view after being pushed umpteen times during the ongoing yatra- which was nothing more than a cheap tactic of Congress leader to hog media limelight."

"The Congress leader has forgotten that his family murdered democracy in the country and the people will never forgive them for this sin," he added.

Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra is now in its Punjab leg. On Sunday, he was joined by Balkaur Singh, murdered singer-turned-politician Sidhu Moose Wala’s father as it resumed from the Khalsa College Ground Jalandhar. The yatra was earlier suspended for 24 hours in view of the death of Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary on Saturday. Chaudhary died after suffering a cardiac arrest during the foot march.