Congress MP Charanjit Channi supports khalistani Militant Amritpal Singh, “This too is Emergency that a man who was elected as an MP by 20 lakh people in Punjab is behind bars under the NSA.”

Heated Exchange in Parliament: BJP’s Ravneet Bittu Confronts Congress MP Charanjit Channi Over Remarks on Beant Singh

A heated confrontation erupted in the Indian Parliament on Thursday when BJP leader Ravneet Bittu confronted Congress MP Charanjit Channi over comments made about Bittu’s grandfather, former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. The dispute arose after Channi remarked that Beant Singh had died following Bittu’s departure from the Congress party.

Channi’s comment, “Bittu Ji, your grandfather was a martyr, but he died when you left the Congress,” sparked a strong response from Bittu. The BJP leader and state minister in the NDA government retorted that his grandfather did not die for the Congress party but for the nation. Bittu also criticized Channi, claiming he was the richest person in Punjab and should not speak about poverty, given his substantial wealth.

Ravneet Bittu, who was previously a member of the Congress party before joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), found Channi’s remarks particularly offensive. The exchange led to the adjournment of the Lok Sabha for 30 minutes.

The Assassination of Beant Singh

Beant Singh served as the Chief Minister of Punjab from 1992 to 1995 and was a member of the Indian National Congress. He was assassinated outside the Punjab Secretariat in 1995 by Khalistani terrorists. The bomb blast that claimed his life also killed 17 others, including three Indian commandos. Khalistani outfits Babbar Khalsa and the Khalistan Commando Force were held responsible for the assassination.

Controversial Advocacy by Charanjit Singh Channi

Adding to the controversy, former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi recently advocated for Khalistani terrorist Amritpal Singh, who is currently detained in Assam’s Dibrugarh district under the National Security Act (NSA). Channi criticized the current state of affairs, comparing it to an undeclared Emergency.

“They speak about Emergency every day. But what about the undeclared Emergency in the country today?…This too is Emergency that a man who was elected as an MP by 20 lakh people in Punjab is behind bars under the NSA. He is unable to present the views of the people of his constituency, here (Parliament). This too is Emergency,” Channi stated.

Amritpal Singh, who heads the ‘Waris Punjab De’ outfit and emulates slain Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, was jailed along with nine associates under the NSA. He was arrested after leading a violent clash at the Ajnala police station in February of the previous year, attempting to free an aide from custody.

Earlier this month, Amritpal Singh was flown to Delhi on a four-day custody parole to take his oath as a member of parliament.