Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann slammed the BJP-led Centre on Thursday for "attacking" federalism and using governors in opposition-ruled states to hinder the governments' work, and stressed that only those who have been elected by people have the right to rule in a democracy.
Speaking at the Left Democratic Front (LDF) protest led by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here, Mann said he was forced to come to Jantar Mantar instead of making policies for Punjab.
"We should have been in our secretariats, making policies, but we have come here to seek our rights. It is important to stick together to save the country," he said.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader accused governors in opposition-ruled states of hindering the state governments' work.
"The (Punjab) governor said the Assembly session was illegal, so we had to go to the Supreme Court.... The BJP is nowhere in Punjab. It has only two MLAs. Wherever the BJP is not present, the governors act as the opposition," he said.
"Those elected will rule in a democracy. You cannot dictate. You cannot keep sitting on a bill," Mann said.
He also mentioned a controversy around the Chandigarh mayoral polls held on January 30. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the polls against the Congress-AAP alliance.