HashtagPolitics | Dharna at Mann home, bout on Twitter: Congress, AAP slug it out

As the protest continued, a war of words between the Opposition party and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) erupted on social media, with the AAP accusing the Congress of corruption and the grand old party blaming the state administration for singer Sidhu Moosewala’s death.

मुझे दुख है कि पंजाब की बची-खुची Congress आज रिश्वत के आरोपी नेताओं के हक़ में धरना देने मेरे घर आई।

पंजाब के लुटेरों का साथ देना साबित करता है कि रिश्वत इनके ख़ून में है।

ये नारे लगा रहे थे “साड्डा हक़ ऐत्थे रख” मतलब रिश्वतख़ोरी कांग्रेस का हक़ है?

-Punjab CM @BhagwantMann https://t.co/vsvfCCBB2v

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) June 9, 2022

Hitting out at the Congress, Bhagwant Mann tweeted in Punjabi, “I feel sad that without any prior appointment, the left over Congress leadership of Punjab today came to my residence to hold a dharna in support of their party leaders who were facing corruption charges. Supporting those who looted Punjab is a proof that, bribe is in their blood. Were raising slogans to demand their rights, means bribery is their right?”

The official AAP account tweeted out a Hindi translation of Mann’s statement, claiming that Congress leaders at protest were chanting “Sadda Haq Aithe Rakh”, which loosely translates to “It is our right, keep it here”. Is “bribery the right of the Congress?” the party asked.

In response to Mann, Warring asked him, “Why were we taken inside if we did not have the appointment?” He claimed that “PCC general secretary was given an appointment for a meeting with the CM”.

The state Congress chief went on to say, “And before meeting us and without getting any representation from us, how could CM Mann predict in what connection we were to meet him? We were to meet him regarding deteriorating law and order situation in the state, as is evident from the recent murder of Sidhu Moosewala.”

The Congress’s official Twitter account was also quick to issue a statement, saying the AAP government had “the blood of Punjab’s son Sidhu Moosewala” on their hands. It tweeted, “Is seeking justice for Sidhu Musewala corruption?”

The post claimed it was an “insult” to “Punjabiyat” to link the “Sadda Haq Aithe Rakh” slogan to bribery.

A farcical theatre of absurdity is on display by Punjab Congress, as they staged a protest in support of misdeeds of their corrupt ministers. Suddenly they all have gone restive as skeletons have started to tumble out of the closet. It seems corruption is in the very DNA of Cong. https://t.co/aHVltCCugD pic.twitter.com/oppDU25hkA

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) June 9, 2022

Responding to the arrests, the official Congress Twitter handle tweeted, “Instead of arresting the killers of late famous Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, the AAP government of Punjab is arresting the Congress leadership demanding justice for Sidhu Moosewala.”

AAP MP Raghav Chadha also responded, tweeting both in Punjabi and English that “ a farcical theatre of absurdity” was “on display by Punjab Congress” when “they protested in support of misdeeds of their corrupt ministers”. He added, “It seems corruption is in the very DNA of the Congress,” he said.

While time will tell from where skeletons will tumble down, gold in kilos and currency in crores has already started coming out from Satyendra Jain’s hideouts. Kind attention @raghav_chadha https://t.co/veBEC9TsoA

— Punjab Congress (@INCPunjab) June 9, 2022

Responding to Chadha’s tweet, the Punjab Congress’s official account tweeted, “While time will tell from where the skeletons will tumble down, gold in kilos and currency in crores have already started coming out from Satyendra Jain’s hideout.”  It was a reference to AAP leader and Delhi Cabinet Minister Jain who is in Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody on charges of corruption.