The AAP on Saturday said former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had declared Rs 10 crore worth of properties ahead of the state polls last year but now claims to be a "poor person" as the vigilance bureau is questioning him in a disproportionate assets case.

Channi had not only been the chief minister but also has been the leader of opposition, cabinet minister and president of Kharar municipal corporation previously. "But, now when the vigilance bureau is going to question him about his corruption he is playing the card of a poor person," AAP leader Malvinder Singh Kang said.

On Friday, Channi was grilled by the vigilance bureau for nearly seven hours in connection with the allegations he has amassed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. Sources said he was questioned by the bureau about his long foreign visits to the US and Canada last year after elections.

Channi has described the probe as "totally political" and alleged the AAP government in Punjab was rattled by questions he had raised relating to Dalits.

Taking a swipe at Channi, Kang asked him which “poor person” spends months in foreign countries like the US and Canada and holds a “5-star marriage function” of his son. He also pointed out that Channi had declared Rs 10 crore worth properties in his nomination papers during the 2022 Punjab assembly polls.

The AAP leader asked if Channi had actually empathy for the SC community, why did he not take any action against leaders and officers responsible for the alleged post matric SC scholarship scam during his rule.

The vigilance bureau is taking action against corrupt people and their action is not to target any community or religion, said Kang.

Only the Aam Aadmi Party and national convener Arvind Kejriwal are following the ideology of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and Bhim Rao Ambedkar, he said.

“Dr Ambedkar inspired us to uplift the downtrodden people of our society and we are building schools of eminence for the children of poor families,” he said.

By reforming government schools, the students belonging to poor families can get quality education, said Kang.

“What Channi did for these people as MLA, as minister and as the chief minister of Punjab? Now he's playing these cards to gain the sympathy of people but people are already aware of everything,” said Kang.

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