CHANDIGARH: Congress MP Manish Tewari on Wednesday took on his own party leaders in Punjab, claiming they were nowhere to be seen when thousands of Indian children were in jeopardy in war-ravaged Ukraine and his head "hangs in shame" at the callousness.
Tewari asked if only the Punjab MPs were supposed to be doing all work and questioned where were Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, state Congress chief Navjot Sidhu, former state unit chief Sunil Jakhar and AICC incharge Punjab affairs Harish Chaudhary.
His outburst came on a day when he, along with other Congress MPs Gurjeet Aujla, Amar Singh, Santokh Chaudhary, Jasbir Singh Gill and Ravneet Bittu, met Union Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi, seeking increased efforts for evacuation of the students stuck in the eastern European country.
In a series of tweets, Tewari, who is an MP from Anandpur Sahib, said, "I'm appalled great leaders of @INCPunjab Congress are nowhere to be seen/heard when thousands of our children our in jeopardy. Is it only Punjab MPs who have to do heavy lifting? Where is @CHARANJITCHANNI, @sherryontopp, @Suniljakhar, @Barmer_Harish. Is power be and end all?"
"The reason to be in public life is public service. Elections are not the beginning and the end of politics. Can't you see the videos, hear the cries of our children? Is this your Punjab model? I hang my head in shame at your sheer callousness. Wake up gentleman there is a life beyond elections," he further tweeted.
He also hit out at the AAP, the SAD and the BJP, telling them, "if you care for Punjab stand up and be counted".
"Where are the rest of the political parties who fought the Punjab elections so passionately? @AamAadmiParty, @Akali_Dal, @BJP4India. Why are you MIA? If you care for Punjab stand up and be counted when our children are in clear and present danger," Tewari said in another tweet.
On Punjab MPs meeting Lekhi, he said in another tweet, "MPs from Punjab called on @M_Lekhi Minister of State External Affairs requested her to sensitise GoI about the need to further augment and reinforce evacuation efforts of Indian nationals stuck in war zone in Ukraine especially our kids in Karkiv, far from the western borders of Ukraine."
Khadoor Sahib MP Jasbir Singh Gill said the delegation of MPs from Punjab met Lekhi to press upon the government to evacuate the Indians stranded in Ukraine and to stop the barbaric attacks on students by the Ukrainian police.
He said Lekhi assured the delegation that every Indian will be brought back safely at the earliest safely.
Amritsar MP Gurjeet Aujla said in a tweet that a list of people stuck in Ukraine was shared with the Union minister.
"Joined by colleagues from Parliament met Minister of State for External Affairs @M_Lekhi ji regarding evacuation of Indians stranded at Ukraine's inaccessible hotspots. Also handed over the list of the individuals with whom families lost all communication," Aujla said.