Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa has sparked a controversy by seeking party leader Rahul Gandhi’s assurance that he (Gandhi) and not some ‘farzi’ (fake) person will be the Prime Minister when the Congress wins the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.

At a public meeting in Pathankot on Thursday as a part of the Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra, Bajwa is heard  saying in a  viral video that “we don’t want just anyone farzi as PM like in the past.”

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Opposition parties have termed this comment – made in the presence of Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on stage –  as an indirect reference to former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who led the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government for the two consecutive terms.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sunil Jakhar on Friday said Gandhi should have snubbed Bajwa for heaping insults on a man (Dr Manmohan Singh) held in admiration by millions of Punjabis.

“It seems the Congress leaders have not learnt lessons from the past acts of indiscretion committed by them against the honour and dignity of Manmohan Singh while he was holding the office of the Prime Minister,” Jakhar said.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) said that the manner in which Bajwa had insulted Dr Manmohan Singh by referring to him as a ‘farzi’ PM  had hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community as well as Punjabis at large.

SAD leader Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra said Sikhs in Punjab had taken pride at the elevation of Dr Manmohan Singh to the office of the Prime Minister. “Dr Manmohan Singh also conducted himself with immense dignity earning him recognition the world over. He cannot be termed ‘farzi’ by any stretch of imagination but if he is being referred to as that it indicates that sycophants like Partap Bajwa can go to any extent to please their masters,” he said.

Asking Bajwa to apologise for this act and withdraw his statement, Prof Chandumajra also asked Congress chief Kharge to take action against the Leader of Opposition. “If the yardstick followed by Bajwa is to be taken into consideration then you (Kharge) are also a ‘farzi’ leader as per the Punjab Congress leader.” he added.

Prof Chandumajra said the silence of Rahul Gandhi as well as the Congress party over Bajwa‘s statement indicated that they also held Dr Manmohan Singh in contempt. “Rahul‘s actions during the erstwhile UPA regime when he publicly belittled Dr Manmohan Singh‘s decisions, also prove this point,“ he added.

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