No intention to continue in Congress, but not joining BJP: Amarinder
Darpan News Desk IANS, 30 Sep, 2021 10:48 AM
New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS) Scotching speculation to the contrary, former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday made it clear he was not joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but had no intention of continuing in the Congress either, which he said was going downhill with senior leaders completely ignored and not given a voice.
Denying any move to join the BJP, Captain Amarinder Singh said he would leave the Congress where he had been utterly humiliated and was not trusted.
"I will resign, will not stay in the party," he said, adding that he was still thinking through his options in the interest of Punjab, whose security was the predominant priority for him.
"I will not be treated in this humiliating manner. I will not take such insults," he said, adding that his principles and beliefs do not allow him to stay in the Congress.
Terming the senior Congressmen as the thinkers, who were critical to the future of the party, the former Chief Minister said the younger leadership should be promoted to implement the plans, which the senior leaders are best equipped to formulate.
Unfortunately, the seniors were being completely sidelined, he said, adding this was not good for the party. He also condemned the attack on Kapil Sibal's house by Congress workers only because he had chosen to express views that were not palatable to the party leadership.
Expressing hope that Punjab would vote for the future of the state, he said his experience showed that the people of Punjab tend to vote for a single party or force, irrespective of the number of parties in the fray.
Misgovernance in Punjab would give Pakistan the opportunity to create trouble in the state and in the country, he said, adding that his meeting with NSA Ajit Doval this morning focused around this issue.
Captain Amarinder had raised security concerns with Home Minister Amit Shah too, along with the farmers' issue, during his meeting with the latter on Wednesday.
Taking a dig at those who undermine the growing Pakistani threat in Punjab, he said that such people were playing into the hands of anti-India forces by being in denial mode. "They (Pak-backed elements) are killing our soldiers every day, they are pushing weapons into the state through drones. How can we overlook these dangers," he added.
Reiterating his opinion on Navjot Singh Sidhu, Captain Amarinder described him as a mere crowd puller who does not know how to carry his team along.
Pointing out that he had personally worked with many PCC chiefs, besides himself being one, he said he always resolved issues amicably, without indulging in theatrics like Sidhu.
Canada's decision to ban direct flights from India till September 21 while allowing vaccinated family-class passengers and students from all other countries has not gone down well with the Indo-Canadian community. As a result of the ban, Indian students and family-class returnees are taking indirect routes to reach Canada, costing them $4,000-$6,000 per person.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Wednesday claimed that the Independence Day announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) has been increased by 1.5 times is incorrect and the announced MSP is not being realised by all farmers despite his commitment in the Parliament.
The incumbent pontiff, Arunagirinatha Gnanasambantha Desika Paramacharya Swamigal, passed away at a private hospital in Madurai on August 13 due to respiratory illness. He had been the pontiff of Madurai Aadheenam for four decades.
BJP Delhi Yuva Morcha president Vasu Rukhar told IANS that the Pakistan government must apologise and install a grand statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh where it was demolished in Lahore.
The doses were seized by authorities in India and Africa between July and August, a WHO statement said. It also said the vaccine's maker, the Serum Institute of India, confirmed that the doses were fake.
Prominent hospitals in Gurugram have claimed that a huge dip in admission of foreign nationals have been witnessed due to the ongoing Covid pandemic, while the latest political tussle in Afghanistan will also have a huge impact on medical tourism in Gurugram.
