CHANDIGARH: Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu on Wednesday accused Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of trying to create obstacles in the functioning of the country and called him an 'ISI agent'.
Bittu, while speaking to the media on the sidelines of the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Road Under Bridge (RUB) near Ambala–Chandigarh rail section in Zirakpur, alleged that Mann's actions could endanger national interests.
He further claimed people should closely monitor the Punjab chief minister’s activities.
"Do you (Mann) compare yourself to the Prime Minister? Will you be able to do as much work as the PM? He is the country's PM, and he has to visit the world. If he does not go out, how could he resolve the oil and gas issue?," he said.
Bittu further alleged, "What does Mann know about? It is a serious matter. I want to say that this man is an ISI agent, and he wants to put our country in danger at the behest of the ISI. He wants to create obstacles in the PM's work. I want to ask people to keep an eye on him."
The remarks came after CM Mann reportedly mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent foreign visits. Mann had slammed Modi over his appeal to people to postpone foreign travel and said he himself has not stopped going abroad.
"First, the prime minister should stop his foreign visits. Where is he now? He has gone to the Netherlands. He will visit 3-4 more countries. He has asked people to avoid, but he still went (on foreign visits)," Mann had stared.
Defending the Prime Minister’s foreign engagements, Bittu said Modi travels abroad to address important national matters, including issues related to oil and gas supplies. He said that the Prime Minister’s recent visit to the United Arab Emirates was aimed at resolving energy-related concerns for the country.
On Tuesday, Mann again attacked the Centre over fuel price hike, saying the Union government would now pin the blame for all its 'failures' on the West Asia conflict to ''hide'' the ''collapse'' of its foreign and economic policies.
Reacting to these controversial remarks, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring asked Bittu to take action against Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann if he really is an ISI agent.
"Why don’t you ask the union Home Minister to institute an inquiry if you have any information that Mann is an ISI agent?" he asked the Union Minister, adding, "otherwise stop playing these friendly matches with the Punjab Chief Minister."
Reiterating that there was a secret understanding between the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party, Warring said, they were resorting to “friendly fire” against each other to remain in the limelight and divert attention from pressing issues for which both the governments are accountable. He pointed out, earlier Mann accused the BJP of being involved in the bomb blasts, which took place in Punjab and now Bittu is accusing Mann of being an ISI agent.
He pointed out, even then the Congress had asked Mann why he was not taking any action against the BJP if he had information about its involvement in the bomb blasts in the state. But nothing happened, he remarked, adding, that this only reinforced the public perception that the AAP and the BJP leaders were playing friendly matches with each other.
"They are mutually trying to provide cover to each other from public scrutiny and criticism over their respective failures at the centre and in the state," Warring remarked about the AAP and the BJP leaders leveling serious allegations against each other without any follow up action.
Providing details regarding the Road Under Bridge project, Bittu informed that this project—located at Level Crossing No. 123—is being constructed at a cost of Rs 12,80,36,866 (Rupees twelve crore, eighty lakh, thirty-six thousand, eight hundred and sixty-six only). This project is being executed on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis between Indian Railways and the Chandigarh Administration.
Currently, the Baltana Level Crossing witnesses a traffic volume exceeding 900,000 Traffic Vehicle Units (TVUs), making it one of the busiest and most critical railway crossings in the region.
Upon the completion of this project, residents of Baltana and the surrounding areas will benefit from safe, convenient, and uninterrupted connectivity. Bittu also highlighted a significant policy shift introduced by Indian Railways regarding the elimination of level crossings.
He remarked, "Previously, whenever a Railway Over Bridge (ROB) was constructed at a specific location, the corresponding level crossing was automatically closed down. This caused considerable inconvenience to nearby shopkeepers, local residents, and small-scale traders."
