Amarinder Singh wasn't insulted by Congress, should rethink move: Harish Rawat

Former Uttarakhand chief minister and the in-charge of the Congress in Punjab Harish Rawat said on Friday there was no truth to reports that Amarinder Singh was insulted by the Congress.

Rawat, who had made several visits over the past few weeks to the one of the last remaining Congress-ruled states to placate the crisis that now seems in vain, said Singh’s recent statements made it appear that was under some sort of pressure, adding he should rethink and not help the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in any way. 

Also read | Delhi interlocutors find Captain raring for a political fight

Rawat’s statements came a day after Singh clearly said he would leave the Congress where he had been adequately humiliated. Singh made the comments during a two-day trip to Delhi, his first since resigning as Punjab chief minister last month, when he visited Amit Shah and national security advisor Ajit Doval.

Speaking to reporters in Dehradun, Rawat said, “The theory of humiliation of Amarinder Singh is totally wrong. His meetings with Amit Shah and other BJP leaders are raising questions on his secular credentials which has always been the core of his politics for all these years. The BJP is trying to make him their mask in Punjab which is not his stature.”

Also read | Amarinder Singh removes Congress from Twitter bio, all eyes on Captain's next move

He further said Congress MLAs in Punjab were very upset with Singh for not having taken any action in the desecration case that had happened during the previous Akali Dal government’s reign.

Regarding the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting that Singh has repeatedly said was not required as he had already given his word on his exit, Rawat said the MLAs had threatened to take unwarranted action against the former chief minister if the party had not convened the CLP meeting.

“All that has been done by the Congress party till now is to protect the respect and dignity of Captain Amarinder Singh and increase the party's chances (in 2022 assembly polls) in Punjab,” Rawat was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

The central Congress leadership has been attacked both from within and outside the party over its handling of the crisis in Punjab where the Assembly election is a few months. 

(With inputs from bureau)