Cong has gone back on its loan waiver promise to farmerswithin one week of govt formation – Sukhbir

Khatkar Kalan, March 23 – Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today said it was unfortunate that the Congress had gone back on its promise for a complete loan waiver for Punjab farmers within one week of government formation.

Talking to newsmen after paying homage to the great martyr Bhagat Singh on his death anniversary here after addressing a public meeting, the SAD president said the Punjab Congress should not have got forms filled from farmers if it did not have any intention of waiving off their loans. “Now we are learning that new chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh has met the Prime Minister and requested for a loan waiver. This is exactly what we were striving for also. If the Punjab Congress had to request the PM for a loan waiver why did it deceive the people and lead them on to believe that the waiver would be done by the party if it was returned to power?”.

Mr Badal said it was also unfortunate that all development works had halted after the Congress government took over the reins of the State. He said even sewerage work in towns, which was utmost needed, had been stopped. “This is not a good start. They should have increased the scope of development instead of putting a halt on all ongoing development works”, he added.

Earlier while addressing a large public gathering, Mr Badal said there was no chance of replication of the development done during SAD rule during the tenure of the Congress government. He said the same Captain was chief minister earlier during 2002-07. “Do you remember a single work done by him then. I asked this in the Vidhan Sabha also. Former legislature party leader Charanjit Chhanni, who is a minister now, had stated that the single most important achievement of the Congress government was laying of patchwork on roads”.

He said in direct contrast what was done by the SAD- BJP government was before the people. “You have witnessed an end to power cuts during our government. The state became power surplus. Road projects worth Rs 23,000 crore were initiated”.

Stating that everything would come out before the people, he said it was unfortunate that development had lost out to propaganda in the assembly elections. Urging the party cadre to remain united, he said they should keep working for people’s issues and causes.

Others present on the occasion included legislators Sukhwinder Sukhi (Banga) and Baldev Khaira (Phillaur) and senior leader Jarnail Singh Wahad.