CHANDIGARH: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday claimed that the AAP's rival parties in Punjab are targeting him and its chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann as they do not want the state to have an honest government.
The national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party said the only fault of his party and its leaders is that they talk about improving the condition of schools and hospitals in Punjab, giving jobs to people and ensuring justice in sacrilege cases.
In a swipe at his Punjab counterpart, Kejriwal said Charanjit Singh Channi has been having nightmares about him and is unable to sleep these days.
Blaming corruption for the inflow of drugs into the state, the AAP leader asserted it will stop once his party comes to power.
Addressing a news conference in Amritsar, Kejriwal said, "During the past few days you must have observed that all parties and their leaders are only abusing me and Bhagwant Mann. Yesterday, (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah came (to Punjab) and he abused me and the AAP."
"Since morning till late evening Channi abuses me and Mann, but he does not take the name of (SAD chief) Sukhbir Singh Badal."
"Sukhbir Badal also abuses me and Bhagwant Mann, but he does not take Channi's name. Priyanka Gandhi (who was in Punjab on Sunday) also abused me. It seems they all have come together and are targeting us," he said.
Kejriwal said all these rival parties do not want to defeat the AAP, but Punjab.
"These parties do not want the AAP to come to power. They want that the way they have looted Punjab for the last 70 years, that should continue. Their fear is if the AAP comes to power, their loot will be stopped permanently," he said.
He appealed to the people of Punjab to defeat these parties and save the state.
He said the AAP will give an honest government to the state.
Hitting out at Channi, who has been targeting Kejriwal during his poll rallies, the Delhi chief minister said, "Channi abuses me from morning till late evening. These days Channi is unable to sleep. When he closes his eyes, I come in his dreams like a 'bhoot' (ghost) and then he wakes up."
"Those who have looted Punjab till today, they are seeing me in their dreams and they are unable to sleep these days," he said.
On the issue of drugs, drones and explosives being pushed into the state from across the border, Kejriwal said corruption is behind many of these incidents.
"Drugs are being pushed in from across the border, drones and tiffin bombs are coming in from the border. Behind many of these incidents, there is corruption somewhere," he said.
The inflow of drugs will stop when the AAP forms the government in Punjab, he added.
Attacking the Congress-led state government, Kejriwal said the common people felt unsafe during its tenure.
"A big question arises whether the Congress can secure Punjab. The common Punjabis are feeling unsafe. On the other hand, there have been many sacrilege incidents, a bomb blast occurred in Ludhiana and there was a lapse in the prime minister's security," he said.
The AAP leader, however, said there should be no politics over the security breach incident.
"But it is going on from both sides (Congress and BJP)," he said.
The AAP never does politics over security matters, Kejriwal said.
Replying to charges that the number of liquor vends has increased in Delhi, Kejriwal said earlier there were 850 liquor vends and now the number is 550-600.
"But BJP is a machine of spreading lies," he said on BJP leaders alleging that the number of vends had increased in Delhi.
"In Delhi liquor sale at authorised vends is legally allowed, but in Gujarat where there is prohibition, liquor is freely flowing in that state. So, who is getting the money of the illegal sale," he asked.
To a question on Punjab Congress, he said, "The entire Congress has become a circus. Channi's brother is fighting as an Independent. (Punjab Minister) Raja Warring is saying (Minister) Manpreet Badal is working against him. Can such party secure of Punjab."
On Congress leaders alleging that AAP was BJP's "B" team, Kejriwal said they keep saying such baseless things whereas their own party was disintegrating.
When asked that opponents are saying if AAP comes to power, the government in Punjab will be remote controlled from Delhi, Kejriwal quipped, "I know why you are asking this question because when Capt Amarinder Singh was the CM, he had to go to his Congress high command often, Channi and his cabinet often go to Delhi."
"But during past four months, Bhagwant Mann came to Delhi twice. Our party runs from Punjab, but their party operates from Delhi," he said.
Punjab votes on February 20.
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday hit out at the AAP, accusing it of spreading falsehood against him and also giving tickets to many candidates with criminal background.
Addressing the media here, he also promised free education in government schools and colleges and one lakh government jobs in the first year if the Congress returns to power after the February 20 assembly elections.
Slamming the Arvind Kejriwal led party, he said the AAP gave tickets to 44 people who came from other political parties.
"Every third and fourth candidate of the AAP is facing criminal cases," Channi charged.
Taking a dig at the AAP's claim of bringing a change, he said the party fielded many candidates who have been rejected by other political parties.
Accusing Kejriwal of building his party's entire campaign on the basis of "lies and falsehood," he said the AAP leaders were spreading falsehood against him after realising that they are not going to win the coming elections.
Channi also rejected Kejriwal's claims of his defeat from both Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur assembly seats.
The Congress party's chief ministerial face said that he had earlier challenged Kejriwal to fight against him but he did not accept it.
"I will win with a margin of not less than 25,000 votes from both seats and it can even reach 50,000 votes," he said.
However, Channi claimed that AAP's CM face Bhagwant Mann is losing badly from the Dhuri assembly seat.
He alleged that Mann did not bring a single project to Sangrur Parliamentary constituency from where he was MP twice.
Channi also dared Mann and Kejriwal to swap his assets with him.
"See, every day they claim I have assets worth Rs 170 crore. Look at my affidavit. They are projecting Rs 2-4 crore as Rs 170 crore," he said.
He further lashed out at the AAP for linking him with the recent Enforcement Directorate raids and illegal sand mining business.
Channi promised free education in government schools and colleges if his party returns to power.
"We have decided that it is the government's responsibility to provide education to each family. Therefore, we will make education free in government schools and government colleges and universities".
Besides, the SC scholarship scheme will be strengthened, he said.
He also promised to bring a general category scholarship scheme for children belonging to economically weaker families in order to provide free education to them.
Channi also promised to come out with a fee regulation commission for regulating fee of colleges and universities in the state.
Skill-oriented education will be promoted in the state, he said while noting that a skill university was coming up at Chamkaur Sahib.
Channi promised that if his party returns to power, one lakh government jobs will be given in the first year of forming the government.
He said that in his 111-day long tenure as chief minister, he implemented what he announced as he referred to various decisions like reducing electricity tariff and fuel prices.
He also talked about providing free health services in government hospitals.
Channi also said that there will be no 'kucha' house in the state and promised 'pucca' houses for the poor people in the first six months if his party again forms the government.