Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi triggered a political uproar on Thursday after he claimed the BJP-led Central government has curbed the freedom of speech of the controversial Khadoor Sahib MP, Amritpal Singh. Reacting to the remark, BJP MP Ravneet Singh Bittu, who had a heated exchange with the former Punjab chief minister in the Lok Sabha, said Channi was behaving like a traitor.
"A former CM is behaving like a traitor and is misleading the entire country through the House. He said that the NSA has been slapped on farmers. But who has it been slapped on - on those who wanted to break the country and Punjab? He said that the NSA has been invoked against farmers and this is incorrect. An ex-CM has spoken about breaking the country and Punjab. Congress and Rahul Gandhi were sitting before him and making him say it. When we told him to bring evidence to the Floor of the House, he went on backfoot and had no reply. Congress party and the entire INDI Alliance are ashamed due to him," Bittu said.
BJP MP Dinesh Sharma claimed Channi spoke in support of terrorists and should be expelled by the Congress.
“Charanjit Singh Channi is speaking in support of terrorists and is working on the instructions of some anti-national elements in Canada. Congress should expel him. If Congress fails to act against him, then it means that they are also affiliated with such anti-national people,” he said.
Speaking during the debate on the Budget, Charanjit Singh Channi claimed the BJP government has imposed an undeclared emergency in the country.
"They (BJP) speak about Emergency every day. But what about the undeclared Emergency in the country today?... This too is the Emergency that a man who was elected as an MP by 20 lakh people in Punjab is behind bars under the NSA. He is unable to present the views of the people of his constituency, here. This too is an Emergency," he added.
Channi claimed farmers were declared as Khalistani when they asked for their rights.
Reacting to Channi's remarks, union minister Pralhad Joshi said the matter linked to Amritpal Singh is sub-judice.
"This issue is in court. Serious allegations are against him (Amritpal Singh). It's not right to talk about it in the Parliament. It's before the people, what Congress has done. He (Charanjit Singh Channi) was not there during the Emergency, so he didn't know what was the condition then. Today, they keep commenting over the PM, was it possible to make such comments over Indira Gandhi, during the Emergency?" he said.
Union minister Giriraj Singh accused the Congress of supporting pro-Khalistan elements.
"On Channi's statement, I would only say that Indira Gandhi's assassin was a Khalistani and the Congress is supporting Khalistanis. Waah re Congress, Jai Channi. This is an attack on India's sovereignty. Action should be taken on this...Congress ka haath, Khalistanion ke saath," he said.
