Stop trying to exploit COVID-19 crisis to instigate Punjabis: Amarinder warns Kejriwal

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], September 3 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has asked his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal to stop "trying to exploit COVID-19 crisis to instigate people" after the latter's announcement that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers will check people's oxygen levels in the state to fight against COVID-19.
"Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday warned his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal against trying to exploit the COVID crisis to instigate people in Punjab's villages, which have witnessed a spurt of fake news and provocative videos, at least one of which was found to have emanated from abroad, most likely Pakistan, and propagated here by an active worker of Kejriwal's AAP," according to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
"We do not need your oxymeters. We just need you to rein in your workers in Punjab, where they are trying to incite my people into not going to hospitals to get themselves tested and treated for COvVID," said Captain Amarinder while targetting Kejriwal.
Singh stated that Kejriwal's recent announcement raised "serious questions on the role of his party in the conspiracy to undermine the Punjab government's efforts to keep the pandemic under check and save the lives of the people of the state."
Continuing his tirade against the Delhi Chief Minister, Singh asked him to stay out of Punjab and focus on managing COVID situation in the national capital, where "the situation was worsening by the day with more than 2500 new cases being reported yesterday and hospitals reportedly running out of ICU beds again."
AAP chief Kejriwal had on Wednesday in a video message said party workers will visit every village, street and neighbourhood of Punjab to check people's oxygen levels with an oximeter to help in the battle against COVID-19.
On August 17, Kejriwal had held a conversation via video conferencing, with state convenors of AAP to discuss the opening of 'Oxygen Jaanch Kendra' in villages across the country to combat COVID-19 and train village youth to set up these Kendras.
According to CMO, AAP worker Amrinder Singh of village Mishriwala, Naju Shah, PS Kulgarhi, Ferozepur, has been arrested by Punjab Police in a case under section 66 IT Act, 54 DMA and 153 Indian Penal Code (IPC) for circulation of false and misleading posts on social media platforms.
Singh has asked Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta to thoroughly investigate the complaint of journalist Taruni Gandhi about being offered money to spread fake videos on the COVID-19 crisis. (ANI)