Navjot Singh Sidhu claimed that BJP neither has votes nor support in Punjab (File)
In a scathing attack on Amarinder Singh, Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday called the former chief minister Centre's "parrot" and warned BJP to stop playing politics or they will get a befitting reply, referring to the growing chorus for the imposition of President's rule in the state.
Defending the Channi government in Punjab which is facing questions over the Prime Minister's security breach, Mr Sidhu said, "All that is being talked about for the past couple of days is security. And there are a few parrots who are mindlessly repeating security, security, security. And the foremost among those parrots are our former chief minister Amarinder Singh," Mr Sidhu claimed.
Mr Sidhu, who is famous for citing quotations and witty turns of phrases that he employs in everyday life, was seen reading from a paper in a press conference.
"They (BJP) must stop playing politics. You will get a befitting reply here. All those talking about President's Rule (in Punjab), are your (BJP) parrots," Mr Sidhu attacked BJP in a press conference.
He further claimed that the BJP neither has votes nor support in the state.
"How can PM address 7,000 chairs in which 500 people are sitting in a rally," he alleged. "All the real issues of the state, be it farmers or unemployment have been put to the backburner."
He further said that the office of the Prime Minister is an institution and millions of Punjabis have lost their lives to protect it. Every Punjabi and workers of the Congress party will fight till their last breath to protect the nation, he said.
"PM Modi, your party and Sangh Parivar may not have hoisted numerous times the tricolour in their lives, the same innumerable times the tirangaa (tricolour) has been wrapped around the bodies of Punjab sapoots. Therefore, to claim that PM Modi's life was in danger in Punjab is an insult to Panjabiyat," he added.
On Thursday, Amarinder Singh demanded dismissal of the Punjab government and the imposition of President's rule in the state.
In a statement, the former chief minister said, "This government has lost all moral and constitutional authority to continue in office as it failed in its constitutional duty to provide security to our Prime Minister".
PM Modi was scheduled to visit Ferozepur on Wednesday to lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 42,750 crore.
The Home Ministry has taken cognisance of the "serious security lapse" and has sought a detailed report from the Punjab government. The state government has also been asked to fix responsibility for this lapse and take strict action.