Bhagwant Mann insulted Bhagat Singh's legacy: Punjab BJP chief

Punjab unit BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Sunday lashed out at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann "for insulting Bhagat Singh's birthplace and legacy to propagate corruption of tainted and jailed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal".

As Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders observed a day-long hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and elsewhere against the arrest of party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, party leaders in Punjab led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann held a state-level protest at Bhagat Singh's birthplace, Khatkar Kalan in Nawanshahr.

Reacting to the developments, Jakhar in a statement said: "The farce perpetrated by Mann at Khatkar Kalan on Sunday was the most despicable and I condemn it in the strongest words," adding "Punjabis will never tolerate this transgression".

"Punjabis will never forgive this assault on shared honour and pride in the sacrifices of our greatest of freedom fighters," Jakhar said, cautioning the Chief Minister not to play with the sentiments of people for his political motives.

"Their (AAP) leadership has already been exposed in its involvement in liquor scams both in Delhi and Punjab and the people of India have seen through their hollow promises and fake ideology. These cheap tactics of diverting public attention won't save those who have swindled public money by giving liquor contracts to their chosen ones through collusion and corruption."

Terming the act as the "height of stooping low" for petty political motives, Jakhar said that CM Mann, in fact, should have led his MLAs to keep fast at Tarn Taran where a woman was paraded without clothes with this government remaining a mute spectator for 15 days.

"The incident of shame in Tarn Taran and typical response of this government is embodiment of the non-existent law and order situation on the ground which is a deep cause of worry," Jakhar added.