Taking strong exception to Harish Rawat's no-holds barredattack on him, former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday rejected theCongress Punjab in-charge's claims and allegations, which he said were clearlyprompted by the pathetic situation the party now found itself in the stateafter being on a winning spree for four and a half years.
"Three weeks before stepping down as CM, I hadoffered my resignation to Sonia Gandhi but she had asked me to continue,"said Amarinder Singh, adding the humiliating manner in which he was pushed intoresigning just hours before the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting, thatwas clearly convened to oust him, was a matter of public record.
"The world saw the humiliation and the insult heapedon me, and yet Rawat is making claims to the contrary," he remarked.
The ex-CM of Punjab recalled that Rawat himself hadpublicly stated after meeting him that he was satisfied by his government'strack record on the 2017 poll promises.
In fact, Rawat had categorically stated, as recently asSeptember 1, that the 2022 elections would be fought under his (Amarinder's)leadership and the high command had no intention of replacing him, he pointedout.
"So how can he now claim that the party leadershipwas dissatisfied with me, and if they were, then why did he deliberately keepme in the dark all this time?" he asked.
Ridiculing Rawat's remarks that he seemed to be underpressure, the former CM said the only pressure he had been under for the pastfew months was that of his own loyalty to the Congress, because of which hecontinued to tolerate insult after insult.
"If the party did not intend to humiliate me thenwhy was Navjot Singh Sidhu allowed to openly criticise and attack me on socialmedia and other public platforms for months? Why did the party give the rebels,led by Sidhu, a free hand in undermining my authority? Why was no cognizancegiven to the uninterrupted spree of electoral wins I handed over to the partythrough the four and a half years I was in the saddle?" he asked.
Amarinder Singh asked why the Congress was allowing Sidhueven now to hold the party to ransom and continue to dictate terms.
"What is the pressure he exerts on the partyleadership that they are so defenceless against him and are allowing him tohave his way even at the cost of the Congress' future in Punjab?" heasked.
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Reacting to Rawat's comment regarding his secularcredentials, Amarinder Singh said even his worst critics and enemies could notdoubt his integrity in this regard.
"But I am no longer surprised that a senior andseasoned Congress leader like Rawat is questioning my secular credentials. Itis quite evident that I am no longer trusted and respected in the party that Ihave served loyally all these years," he added.