Amit Shah threatened to topple AAP govt in Punjab: Kejriwal

Chandigarh: AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of threatening to topple the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab after the Lok Sabha polls and claimed that the country is under dictatorship.

Union Minister Shah at a poll rally in Ludhiana on Sunday asked people to ensure the victory of the BJP’s Lok Sabha candidates in Punjab and said “the Bhagwant Mann government will not last long after the BJP’s victory”.

On Monday, Kejriwal, while addressing a gathering of traders in Amritsar, said, “Have you heard Amit Shah’s statement? He gave a threat. Initially, he abused Punjabis a lot. He issued a threat that after June 4, the Punjab government will be toppled. Bhagwant Mann will no longer remain the chief minister after June 4.”

“We have 92 seats (MLAs). How can you topple (government)? There is a dictatorship (in the country),” Kejriwal said and alleged that the BJP leaders were openly saying that they would threaten the legislators with the CBI and the ED and then “buy” them.

“I want to tell him... do not threaten the people of Punjab. Otherwise, they will make it difficult for you to enter Punjab,” the Delhi chief minister added.

Later during an interaction with reporters in Bathinda, Kejriwal asked Shah to explain what “conspiracy” has been hatched to topple the AAP government in Punjab.

“Such language was never used by any home minister,” he said and alleged that Shah had openly threatened the people of Punjab. Pointing out that in the 117-member Punjab Assembly, the AAP has 92 MLAs and the BJP just three, Kejriwal asked, “What plan do you have to topple the government? Will you scare the people of Punjab with ED and CBI? Or will you impose president’s rule?”

The AAP national convener alleged that the BJP wants to end the free electricity facility in Punjab and said, “I want to tell the people that give 13 seats to the AAP if you want continuation of free electricity.”

Taking on the Narendra Modi government, Kejriwal claimed it has done no work in the last 10 years to show to the people.

In Abohar, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann too slammed Shah over his remarks and said, “Do you have the courage to topple the government? We have 92 seats. They are threatening us. Are you coming (here) to seek votes or threaten to topple the government?”

Later during the press conference in in Bathinda, Mann asked, “What do you think of us? Do you think we are for sale? I want to tell the home minister that we have high regard for you as you are the Union home minister. But telling a CM of any state that he will be removed.. such threat will not work. Punjabis are angry over this.”

Mann accused the BJP of playing politics of hatred and polarization and said that the AAP was seeking votes in Punjab based on the work done by his government in the last two years.

“After 10 years, the prime minister is unable to talk about building schools and giving jobs. He just speaks about ‘mangalsutra’, meat and ‘Pakistan. They practise politics of hatred,” the Punjab chief minister said. Mann said PM Modi asked why did he go to meet Kejriwal in jail. “He is the party’s national convener. Cannot I go and meet him?” he asked.