Punjab urges restart of trade with Pakistan; Congress, BJP criticise "Pak Prem"
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Chandigarh: On Wednesday, the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government demanded that trade relations with Pakistan be resumed. In response, the BJP and Congress launched harsh criticisms at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Following The Indian Express's report that Punjab's AAP administration had made such a demand, the responses were swift.
In response to the news article, Shehzad Poonawala, the national spokesperson for the BJP, referred to the AAP as the "PPP—Pak Parast Party. "Taking to Twitter, Poonawala said, "AAP's Pakistan Parasti parallels Congress pak prem! Much like Congress, AAP had questioned the surgical strike, demanded Balkote proof, and blamed Pulwama on India."
"On one hand, Kejriwal claims he is a kattar desh bhakt but in reality he is a vote bank bhakt. From abusing Hindus to Pakistan parasti AAP is mirroring Congress. AAP is now PPP – Pak Parast Party," tweeted Poonawala, Indian Express reported.
On August 7, 2019, two days after the Indian government chose to repeal Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, Islamabad suspended trade with Pakistan. Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, the Punjabi minister for agriculture and farmers' welfare, brought up the desire to resume trade during the National Conference of State Agriculture & Horticulture Ministers in Bengaluru on July 14–15 of this year.
The AAP government's demand was contested by the Congress party as well. Manish Tewari, a senior member of the Congress and a former Union Minister, questioned how commerce could go place without "restored" high commissioners for Pakistan and India.
"Often marvel at innocence if not nostalgia off my fellow Punjabi's qua Pakistan. Is @KuldeepSinghAAP aware official position of Pak-NO TALKS with INDIA till J&K Constitutional changes are reversed. We do not have High Commissioners restored yet. Trade How?" tweeted Tewari, who represents Anandpur Sahib parliamentary constituency.
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, a BJP leader in Delhi, also made fun of the Punjab administration led by the AAP.
"Drug influx from Pak has ruined Punjab's youth; but @AapPunjab Govt remains keen to resume ties with Pakistan! Kejriwal influence showing in AAP Punjab Govt's "Pakistan Prem". Hope better sense prevails over Mann Sahab & he stops following Kejriwal blindly," Sirsa tweeted.