Punjab Congress Committee chief Navjyot Singh Sidhu maintained that the raid per se didn’t mean that anybody was guilty, and that it was for the one who was raided to explain, even as he focussed more on how his “Punjab model” will have policy solutions to end “tekhidari system” to cleanse the sand mining sector.
Channi likened the ED raid to the manner Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s relatives too were probed by the agencies.
“It is nothing but a political vendetta against me. The same pattern of attacks happened on the relatives of CM Mamata Banerjee during the Bengal elections,” he told reporters in Punjab.
“As polls are nearing in Punjab, the ED has swung into action. They are now targeting me and my ministers. This is not good for democracy.”
In Delhi, All-India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Punjab Harish Chowdhury and spokesperson Randeep Surjewala played up the “Dalit CM” factor while alleging that the Centre is targeting Channi and Punjabiyat and said the CM won’t buckle under pressure. They cited Arvind Kejriwal targeting Channi over the raid to allege a BJP-AAP nexus.
“All your surveys say CM Channi is most popular in Punjab. Punjabis were maligned during the farmers’ agitation also but Punjabiyat stood strong. The BJP is forgetting that Channi is not Capt Amarinder Singh. He is Charanjit Singh Channi,” Surjewala said. “The attempt to muzzle him is a mistake. He will keep standing tall.”
Sidhu used the occasion to tweet how the “thekedarri system” should be disbanded to cleanse the sand mining sector. “Complete government control over sand mining is the only solution. Punjab model advocates to form Punjab State Mining Corporation to disband thekedari system and to sell sand at fixed rate, weight & date,” he tweeted.
“As long as thekedari system exists, people won’t have access to cheaper.” He said, “Punjab Model Mining policy includes-state-owned stock yards, online booking at a fixed rate, delivery on a fixed date by different colour trucks enabled with GPS, impounding of illegal trucks. Outcome–cheap Sand; ₹2,000-3,000 crore revenue to state, 60,000 jobs for youth.”
The development comes at a time when both Channi and Sidhu are pressurising the Congress leadership to accept their respective claims to be formally declared as the party’s future chief ministerial candidate.