Channi shouldn’t be called a ‘poor Dalit’ anymore, says former Punjab Congress chief Dullo

At a time when the Congress party is portraying chief minister (CM) Charanjit Singh Channi as a ‘poor Dalit’, the party’s former state chief and Rajya Sabha MP Shamsher Singh Dullo is of the view that ‘rich Channi’ doesn’t deserve to be called a ‘poor Dalit’ anymore.

Dullo, who was in the city on Friday, accused the party of “selling” tickets, and that 70% of the candidates were “mafia” or businessmen or turncoat leaders. Recently, Dullo even wrote to Congress president Sonia Gandhi to conduct a probe into the ticket distribution.

“What was the need to remove Captain Amarinder Singh if the party were to give tickets to mafia or businessmen. Many of the veteran Congress leaders have been discouraged. Channi is being portrayed as a poor Dalit. In my view, he should not be called a Dalit anymore considering the wealth he has,” said Dullo.

Dullo also raised questions on the working of state Congress in-charge Harish Chaudhary, saying he Chaudhary did not meet veteran party leaders even after repeated attempts.

On the arrest of Channi’s nephew by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged money laundering case linked to sand mining, Dullo said, “If nothing wrong has been done then there is no need to fear. Let the agencies work.”