Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for appealing to people to postpone foreign trips when he himself had not stopped traveling abroad.
In the midst of the crisis in West Asia, Modi called for wise use of fuel, postponement of buying gold and travel abroad. He also urged the use of subway services in cities, the use of cars, increased use of electric cars, and working from home to conserve foreign exchange.
Speaking to reporters here, Mann said: “First, the Prime Minister should stop his foreign visits. Where is he now? He has gone to Netherlands. He will visit 3-4 other countries. He has asked people to avoid it, but he is still going (on foreign visits). You are shutting down everything…don’t buy gold, don’t do foreign visits, work from home.”
“Why doesn’t the Prime Minister work from home?” Mann asked in response to a question about the Prime Minister’s call.
The Punjab Chief Minister also attacked the BJP-led Center for increasing petrol and diesel prices.
“We were to become ‘Vishwaguru’ but we became ‘Vishwatsheli’. The war is going on elsewhere but restrictions are being imposed here. Why has no other country implemented them (restrictions)?” he asked.
Petrol and diesel prices also rose $3 pounds per liter on Friday, the first price increase in more than four years, amid mounting losses for fuel retailers due to rising global crude oil prices.
Following his public appeal, Modi reduced the size of his motorcade, prompting several BJP chief ministers and other leaders to adopt similar measures.
The Prime Minister departed on a six-day tour of the UAE, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy to strengthen bilateral relations amid the ongoing geopolitical turmoil.
In response to a question, Mann said that the special intensified review of electoral rolls will begin from June 15 in Punjab and said that the Election Commission of India should address the issues raised by all political parties in this regard.
“We do not want negativity to spread in Punjab, where real votes are deleted and fake votes are made, or votes of supporters of a particular party are deleted or fake votes are made.
“We will be monitoring the (SIR) ourselves, and our ward level agents and volunteers will be present. The voice of the eligible citizen will not be deleted, and for this reason, we are in touch with the ECI,” Mann said.
He said the SIR should be conducted in a transparent manner, adding that if any political party has a complaint, the IEC should address it.
In response to a question about the upcoming local body elections, Mann said that his party will achieve victory in these elections. Mann also said that his party would welcome former minister Surjit Singh Rakhra to join the APC.
