Hours after the Union Defence Minister took on the Bhagwant Mann government over the law and order issue, the ruling AAP slammed Rajnath Singh, saying that he was worried about Punjab but oblivious to the situation in Manipur. ?

In a statement here, AAP Punjab spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said the defence minister should focus on controlling the volatile situation and violence in Manipur before making a statement on the law and order situation in Punjab. ?

"Violence is widespread in Manipur. Hundreds of people have died so far and thousands have become homeless, but the BJP's central minister is doing politics to defame the non-BJP ruled states," he alleged. ?

He said the prime minister has gone on a foreign visit while the home minister is holding rallies and the rest of the ministers are busy criticising the opposition parties.

"While looking at the current situation in Manipur, all cabinet ministers, including the Prime Minister, should have focused their attention on stopping the violence in Manipur," said Kang. ?

He said either somebody has misled Rajnath or he has deliberately given wrong statements in the matter of Punjab.

Punjab is the most peaceful state in the country, where brotherhood is strong. So, such an irresponsible statement from a leader like Rajnath Singh is totally unacceptable, he added. ?

Earlier, without naming anyone, Rajnath Singh took on the AAP government in Punjab over the law and order issue. ?

Singh was addressing a gathering here as part of BJP's public outreach 'Sampark Se Samarthan' to mark the completion of nine years of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.? He said whenever there is a law and order issue in the border state, the Central government is concerned about it. ?

Singh said when Amarinder Singh was the chief minister of Punjab, he always extended support to the Centre on the law and order issue.

"Today the situation has changed. You know about the government of the day in Punjab very well. What is the situation there?

I feel that the state or the country whose internal and external security is not good, then neither the state nor the country can progress," he said.

Referring to the AAP government in Punjab, the Union Minister said, "I expect from this government that there should be an initiative from your side towards maintaining law and order in the state. But I understand that this government was not doing it."

-With PTI Input