Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann rubbishes BJP's claim that he wanted tableau to display his, Arvind Kejriwal's photos
Bhagwant Mann on Friday said he would quit politics if state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar proved his accusation. Mann dismissed as a lie Jakhar's assertion that the government wanted the Republic Day parade tableau to carry Mann's and Arvind Kejriwal's photos.
The CM said that when Jakhar made these allegations at a press conference here on Thursday he was stuttering like only a liar would do.
Mann said that he, however, has sympathy for Jakhar who recently joined the BJP and had to «read out the script that was given to him.»
Jakhar had accused Mann of politicising the non-inclusion of the state's tableau for the Republic Day parade and alleged that the AAP government insisted that the tableau carried his and Arvind Kejriwal's photos and this was one of the reasons why it was excluded for the R-Day event.
«The AAP government was adamant that Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann's photos should be on it, which is not allowed as per protocol. This was one of the reasons for the rejection of the Punjab tableau,» Jakhar had said.
Mann, who was interacting with reporters in Ludhiana, said «Jakhar should give proof that Arvind Kejriwal or Bhagwant Mann's photos were to be put on the tableau. Do they think we are mad?»
«If Jakhar can prove it, I will quit politics,» Mann said, adding that if he fails «he should then also not enter Punjab.»
Referring to Jakhar's claim that in the past 17 years, there have been nine occasions when Punjab's tableau was not included in the Republic Day parade, Mann said it was strange why the BJP, which had shared power in the state with the Akalis, did not object to it.
