Former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi Accuses Government For Being Silent On ‘Undeclared Emergency’

Congress Lok Sabha MP and former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi accused the government of maintaining a ‘silent’ or ‘undeclared’ emergency during his Parliament session on Thursday, July 25.

He alleged that the freedom of speech of Waris Punjab de and Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha MP Amrit Pal Singh has been curtailed, as he has been incarcerated under the National Security Act.

During the debate on Budget 2024, Charanjit Singh Channi remarked, “The BJP used to talk about the emergency every day. But they have no answer to the ‘undeclared emergency’ in the country today. What would you call this? A man who was elected by 20 lakh people in Punjab is now in prison under the NSA. He cannot even communicate with his constituents; this too is an emergency.”

Channi criticized the BJP-led NDA government, asserting that there is an undeclared emergency in the nation. He cited the case of renowned Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, whose family has allegedly not received justice after his killing.

Backing his statements with data, Channi added, “Currently, the country is facing a situation akin to financial emergency under the BJP government’s rule. While the BJP often refers to the 1975 emergency, what about the present-day emergency in the country?”

He further elaborated on the situations contributing to what he terms as the ‘enforcement of an undeclared emergency,’ stating, “It is also an emergency when central agencies target opposition leaders. Additionally, the categorization of farmers as Khalistan terrorists when they demand their rights is a glaring example of emergency.”

Channi highlighted that barriers have been erected to prevent farmers from reaching Delhi to protest against the government.

“It is also a state of emergency that Manipur has been embroiled in unrest for the past 1.5 years, with no action taken by the government to resolve the conflict between the Meiteis and Kukis communities. Furthermore, labeling protesting students as anti-national is another manifestation of this emergency,” he added.