CHANDIGARH: Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Thursday termed Congress veteran Amarinder Singh's exit as the Punjab CM a "political murder", which he said was done as the "nationalist" leader was a hurdle in the party's "gameplan".
Vij also accused the Congress of hatching an "anti-national conspiracy" in Punjab while referring to state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu's visit to Islamabad for the swearing-in ceremony of Imran Khan in 2018.
After resigning as the Punjab CM following a bitter power tussle with Sidhu, Amarinder Singh had said he felt "humiliated" and called the Punjab Congress chief "anti-national" and "dangerous".
Claiming that the Congress wants to bring Punjab and Pakistan closer, Vij alleged that an "anti-national conspiracy is being hatched" in the state.
"Nationalist Amarinder Singh was a hurdle in the Congress gameplan, this is why his political murder was done," Vij told reporters here.
He further alleged that the "conspiracy" is being hatched by the top leadership of the Congress.
"All nationalist forces should join hands to defeat this conspiracy," he said.
The Haryana minister said this was proved when Sidhu went to Pakistan to attend Imran Khan's oath ceremony despite Amarinder Singh advising him against it.
Vij said in Pakistan, Sidhu not only heaped praise on Imran Khan but also warmly hugged the neighbouring nation's Army chief.
"When Sidhu came back and was asked why he had gone to Pakistan despite Amarinder advising him not to go, he then said that my captain is not Amarinder Singh, my captain is Rahul Gandhi," Vij said.
"It is clear from this that the game was being played and the conspiracy was being hatched against nationalist Amarinder Singh, who was obstructing this dirty conspiracy of the Congress," Vij alleged.
Not only Amarinder Singh, all nationalist forces in Punjab should join hands "to defeat the gameplan of the Congress", said Vij.