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Updated December 18th, 2021 at 19:49 IST

Sidhu calls Kejriwal 'political tourist' in Punjab; claims he 'bowed down to drug mafia'

Navjot Singh Sidhu dubbed Kejriwal's estimates as 'empty promises' and said that the Congress party's Punjab Model was instead built on extensive research.

Reported by: Ananya Varma
Navjot Singh Sidhu, Arvind Kejriwal
Image: PTI | Image:self
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A war of words erupted between Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and PPCC Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on social media after the former raised the issue of the sand mafia in Punjab. On Saturday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) attacked Congress over the alleged illegal sand mining in CM Charanjit Singh Channi's constituency saying that Rs 20,000 crore would be released if the mafia is tackled. 

When Sidhu questioned AAP on how it would meet the financial aspect of its pre-poll sops, Kejriwal said, "Newspaper/TV people have caught sand theft in the light of your CM. They say that the CM has links with the sand mafia. CM is not taking any action. Both Badal Ji and Captain Sahib are silent on this. You are silent too. Why? Sand is being stolen from CM till the bottom. If we stop it, 20 thousand crore rupees will come."

Hitting back Navjot Singh Sidhu dubbed Kejriwal's estimates as 'empty promises' and said that the Congress party's Punjab Model was instead built on extensive research. "Sand Mining has the potential of 2000 crore, not 20,000 crores. While there's 30,000 crore potential in liquor, which you privatized in Delhi and gave a free run to the likes of Deep Malhotra and Chadha," Sidhu alleged in a scathing attack. 

Dubbing the Delhi CM as a 'political tourist', Sidhu alleged that Arvind Kejriwal had 'bowed down and sought forgiveness from Drug Mafia.' 

AAP vs Congress on sand mining

The entire controversy erupted after the Aam Aadmi Party launched an 'exposé' raid in Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi's constituency to bust an alleged illegal sand mafia site. AAP Punjab co-Incharge Raghav Chadha conducted a 'live raid' in Channi's constituency Chamkaur Sahib and alleged that the Congress CM was allowing sand mafia to operate under his nose. 

"I conducted a live raid in his own constituency in pind Jindapur. I have an estimate that 800-1000 trucks are being taken on a daily basis, one truck has 800 feet sand that can be sold from Rs 5- Rs 40. He had put up hoardings all over, but under his nose, sand mafia is operating," Chadha alleged. 

Days later, he announced that the party will 'reward' Charanjit Singh Channi Rs 25,000 for every illegal sand-mining case he acts against. Taking to Twitter, Chadha informed Channi that he had a list of areas where illegal sand mining was taking place. Punjab is scheduled to elect its new Assembly representatives in 2022.

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Published December 18th, 2021 at 19:49 IST

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