Petty-minded people trying to divide Punjab on race, caste, identities: Jakhar

Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar hit out at attempts by the party leadership to work out a social engineering in the poll-bound state by appointing Dalit leader Charanjit Singh Channi as the chief minister, saying that "petty-minded small people occupying high positions are trying to divide Punjab on basis of race/caste/identities".

In what could be the beginning of implosion in Punjab Congress after the change of guard, Jakhar's remarks on Twitter came soon after Channi took oath as Chief Minister after replacing Captain Amarinder Singh and hailed Rahul Gandhi as a "revolutionary leader".

"Sagacious words of Jathedar of Shri Akal Takht Sahib couldn’t have come at a better time when petty-minded small people occupying high positions are trying to divide Punjab on basis of race/caste/identities-forgetting eternal message of Guru," Jakhar tweeted latching on to the remarks of Giani Harpreet Singh, acting Jathedar of the Akal Trust, that whether the CM is Sikh or Hindu is secondary and one should rather be a better human being.

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Jakhar, who was also in the race for CM's post and appeared to have the support of Captain Amarinder Singh, declined the offer for Deputy CM's post under Channi on Sunday.

Just one-and-a-half hours before Channi took over as CM, Jakhar also slammed the AICC in-charge for Punjab Harish Rawat over the latter's remarks that polls would be fought under the leadership of Sidhu.

"On the swearing-in day of Shree Charanjit Channi as Chief Minister, Mr Rawats’s statement that “elections will be fought under Sidhu'', is baffling. It’s likely to undermine the CM's authority but also negate the very ‘raison d’être’ of his selection for this position," Jakhar tweeted.

The remarks reflect the discomfiture in a section of Punjab Congress over the high importance given to Sidhu. Sidhu's stamp on the new CM and its team was clear. Channi's name was cleared for chief ministership at Sidhu's behest at the last minute even after the party decided to make Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa from the dominant Jat community the Chief Minister. Randhawa was later administered the oath as Deputy CM. Similarly, Sidhu got OP Soni, a Hindu leader, as another Deputy CM in place of Brahm Mohindra.

Earlier, Congress leaders Kapil Sibal and Manish Tewari, both from Punjab voiced their issues over the change of guard through their cryptic tweets wondering whether the change will benefit the party and recall the old Congress. Former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar also appeared apprehensive about the ramifications of Captain's exit.