Amid a high-stakes battle, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has stoked a controversy with a comment that he made while campaigning with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra by his side – “Don’t let bhaiyas from UP, Bihar, Delhi enter Punjab”. The comment has triggered sharp criticism from rivals – the AAP and the BJP – just days before the state votes on Sunday.
The word “bhaiyas” in reference to people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is generally considered offensive.
In the video, shared by the BJP’s Tejasvi Surya, the chief minister can be heard saying in Punjabi, “Priyanka Gandhi is the daughter-in-law of Punjab. She is a Punjabi. These bhaiyas (brothers) from UP, Bihar and Delhi… don’t let them enter here.”
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who has been campaigning rigorously in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh too in this season of state elections, is seen standing next to him, smiling and nodding in agreement.BJP MP Tejasvi Surya latched on to the Punjab chief minister’s comment and tweeted in Hindi: “Priyanka Gandhi, when in UP, says she is the daughter of the state. And when in Punjab, she claps as people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are insulted. This reveals her being double-faced.”
