New Delhi: On Wednesday, New Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi defended himself against charges that he chartered a flight to Delhi to meet with the Congress leadership, but did not reveal who paid for the trip. ‘Gareeb da munda jet pe chad gaya kya takleef hai (So what if a poor man’s son takes a jet),’ Mr Channi said, bombarded by questions about flying on a ‘private jet’ on Tuesday.
The reporters wanted to know if it was a taxpayer-funded flight. Without responding to this question, Channi climbed into his car. Channi, who labeled himself an ‘aam aadmi’ (common man) at his first press conference after being sworn in as Chief Minister, has been criticized by the opposition Akali Dal and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Attacks were sparked by the image tweeted yesterday by Punjab Congress chief Navjot Sidhu. In the photo, Mr. Channi, Mr. Sidhu, and two deputy Chief Ministers were seen standing next to a small plane. Mr. Sidhu shared the picture on his Twitter account, saying, ‘In line of duty!!’ . They flew to Delhi to meet with the congress leadership over the selection of ministers to replace Amarinder Singh, who resigned last weekend.
In line of duty, reached Amritsar pic.twitter.com/jAyG9Cou79
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) September 21, 2021
Akali Dal sneered at the Congress for using ‘private jets for a 250 KM ride to Delhi’ and AAP said the Congress had not broken ‘its royal habits’. ‘After saying that they stand with the common man, Congress leaders take private jets to travel just 250 KM from Chandigarh to Delhi. Are there no normal flights or cars that can be used? Or is this chest thumping aimed at propagation of Gandhi family’s Delhi Darbar culture,’ said the Akali Dal in a tweet.
After saying that they stand with the common man, INC leaders take private jets to travel just 250 KMs from Chandigarh to Delhi. Are there no normal flights or cars that can be used? Or is this chest thumping aimed at propagation of Gandhi family’s Delhi Darbar culture? https://t.co/tw8kglW5K1
— Shiromani Akali Dal (@Akali_Dal_) September 21, 2021
Harpal Singh Cheema, Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, said, ‘No one becomes a common man by saying it, only his deeds reveal the truth of his personality. The real faces of Channi, Sidhu, who were calling themselves poor common men a day before, have been exposed.’ Even former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s team attacked them.
Raveen Thukral, the media advisor for Mr. Singh, tweeted: ‘Wow…what a ‘gareeban di sarkar’ (government of the poor)! A 16-seater Learjet to ferry 4 people when a 5-seater official chopper was available. I’m now beginning to feel I sleepwalked through the last four and a half years, believing Punjab to be in a fiscal mess.’
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