Bhagwant Mann's meeting with British MP: AAP hits back at BJP

AAP leader Neel Garg shared pictures of BJP leaders meeting Dhesi in past and said that the double face of the BJP has come to the fore.

Chandigarh:The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday hit back at the BJP for targeting Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann over the meeting with British MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi and asked why no questions were raised when their own leaders met him in the past.

The AAP's Punjab unit leaders also released pictures of Dhesi's meetings with various BJP leaders in the past. The ruling party in Punjab said it exposes the BJP's double standards. BJP leader and former Army chief J J Singh had on Sunday lashed out at Bhagwant Mann over his meeting with Dhesi and said AAP should clarify if it endorses the "pro-separatist and anti-India" views of the British lawmaker.

Dhesi, a Labour Party MP, had earlier criticised the Indian government's revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. He had met Mann here along with AAP Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha last week during which various issues related to NRIs were discussed. Responding to the BJP's criticism, AAP's Punjab leader and spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang on Monday asked the party why no questions were raised when some of their leaders, including Vijay Sampla, had met Dhesi in the past.

"Why did they not raise questions then. So, it exposes the BJP's double standards," said Kang. Kang said during Dhesi's meeting with Mann issues related to Punjabi diaspora and the NRIs were discussed at length. AAP leader Neel Garg also posted on his Twitter handle pictures of some BJP leaders, including Sampla and Som Prakash, meeting Dhesi in the past.

After the meeting with Bhagwant Mann, Dhesi had tweeted, "Grateful to Punjab Chief Minister @BhagwantMann for warmth with which he received me at his Chandigarh residence. We...discussed at length NRI hopes, anxieties and desire to see Punjab progress. He assured me his best to address these issues." Commenting on the meeting, J J Singh had said, "It is very unfortunate that AAP government in Punjab...is going the extra mile to welcome Labour Party MP Dhesi whose views are pro-separatist and anti-India. AAP owes a clarification to the country whether it supports his views on Kashmir and other matters which are against our country."

The BJP leader had said Mann should disclose what transpired in the meeting with Dhesi and what commitments the AAP government in Punjab has given to him.