Chandigarh: When former Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal proclaimed his innocence after being questioned by the state vigilance bureau over a land deal in Bathinda, he additionally unleashed a tirade towards state Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, triggering a confrontation.
Badal, who had left the Congress to affix the BJP earlier this 12 months, lashed out at his former colleague Warring whereas addressing a press convention Tuesday over the vigilance bureau calling him for questioning.
He alleged that Warring — who was his adversary even after they have been within the Congress collectively — had surreptitiously met Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and fallen at his toes, begging to be spared from any doable vigilance probes.
In retaliation, Warring shortly issued a video assertion, vehemently refuting the allegations. He additionally mentioned that Manpreet Badal was “corrupt” and that everybody in Bathinda knew of it. He even accused Badal of stealing authorities furnishings.
The Punjab vigilance bureau questioned Badal for 4 hours Monday, primarily based on a grievance lodged by BJP chief Sarup Chand Singla, his political rival in Bathinda.
Singla has alleged that Manpreet misused his official place because the finance minister in 2021 to buy a residential plot in Bathinda at a particularly low value.
Throughout his press convention, Manpreet defended himself, stating that the plot was acquired by a regular e-auction course of, and he had no means to affect the worth.
“I’ve at all times been a powerful votary of accountability in public life and I welcome the vigilance bureau asking me concerning the buy of this plot. However the grievance towards me is totally baseless. The truth is, I’ve been on the forefront of attempting to save lots of each single penny of the Punjab authorities’s treasury,” he mentioned.
Nonetheless, because the press convention progressed, Badal’s tone grew to become extra combative as he instantly challenged Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and made unflattering remarks about Raja Warring.
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‘I’m not Raja Warring who will put on a masks’
Within the press convention, Badal emphasised his dedication to accountability in public life and talked about his efforts to save lots of authorities funds
“I’ve led by instance. I’ve by no means charged the federal government for the gas in my official vehicles and even for my air and rail journey,” he added, additional claiming that he was among the many “handful of farmers” who paid energy payments for a number of tubewells.
Badal then challenged Chief Minister Mann to make use of all his obtainable assets to seek out any proof of economic misappropriation whereas in workplace.
“Let me let you know Bhagwant,” Badal mentioned, “I’m neither afraid of you nor of your vigilance bureau. Use all of your may to seek out something towards me, however you’ll not.”
He then in contrast himself favourably to Raja Warring, who, in keeping with him, resorted to disguises and pleas for mercy.
“I’m not a Raja Warring who will cowl his head with a cap and put on a masks to cover his face and meet Bhagwant Mann to beg for mercy,” Badal alleged.
“I’m accountable to the folks of Punjab who I’ve served a number of occasions as finance minister and as MLA. If anybody finds that I’ve carried out one thing improper then it isn’t for the vigilance bureau to behave towards me. I give the correct to the general public to shoot me lifeless,” Badal mentioned.
‘Manpreet is a crafty man’
In response to Badal’s accusations, Warring refuted ever assembly Mann within the alleged method.
“I don’t want to fulfill Mann like this, nor can one meet him surreptitiously,” Warring mentioned in a video assertion.
He then pointed a finger at Badal. “Everyone in Bathinda is aware of how corrupt he’s. Everyone is aware of in whose title a tax was collected in Bathinda. Manpreet is a crafty man and is used to fooling folks together with his massive phrases and excessive ethical claims whereas in actuality he has harassed the folks of Gidderbaha and Bathinda to no finish,” Warring alleged.
He additionally questioned Manpreet’s claims of following austere practices.
“Manpreet claims that he didn’t take any particular person in his safety, which isn’t true. He had greater than three dozen males in his safety who have been working as helpers in his farms. Additionally it is publicly recognized that when Manpreet vacated his official residence as finance minister, he even picked up the federal government furnishings and took it with him. He paid for it solely when it grew to become public,” Warring alleged.
No love misplaced
Even Manpreet Badal and Raja Warring have been Congress colleagues, they didn’t share a heat equation.
When Badal left the Congress in January to affix the BJP, Warring had tweeted a “good riddance” message, calling the previous “congenitally energy hungry.
Good riddance.@MSBADAL is congenitally energy hungry. He joined @INCIndia realizing occasion was profitable.
5 yrs is very long time for somebody like him to remain out of energy for causes not unknown to anybody.
As an alternative of crying martyrdom, he needs to be apologising to Congress for betrayal.— Amarinder Singh Raja Warring (@RajaBrar_INC) January 18, 2023
Badal, who was beforehand within the Akali Dal, had represented the Gidderbaha constituency as an MLA a number of occasions. He was later defeated by Warring, who was supported by Rahul Gandhi, within the 2012 meeting elections.
The strain between the 2 leaders continued even after Manpreet joined the Congress in 2016 and shifted to the Bathinda seat.