Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
HOSHIARPUR, August 22: Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Capt Amarinder Singh today reiterated that Punjab will always remain his priority. At the same time he added, “that does not mean I will not fulfil my responsibilities as an MP”. He also cautioned the people of Punjab to be careful at the time of casting their votes lest they end up voting for the wrong people and wrong party.
Capt Amarinder condemned the defamation case filed against The Tribune newspaper by the Punjab government saying, this only betrayed the dictatorial and authoritarian mindset of the rulers here who want to gag the freedom of the press.
He asked the Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, who is also the Home Minister, if he really had courage he should have come forward himself and not made junior officials like constables as ASIs to file a defamation case against a newspaper.
“This is no autocratic dictatorship but a democracy where freedom of expression is non-negotiable”, he told Sukhbir, while regretting the authoritarian and dictatorial mindset of this regime, which he said, must be condemned and defeated at all costs.
Addressing a largely attended public rally organised by the local MLA and Hoshiarpur District Congress Committee president Shyam Sunder Arora here today, Capt Amarinder lashed out at the ruling Akali-BJP alliance government particularly the Badals who had only amassed personal wealth at the cost of state’s welfare.
The former Chief Minister asked the people to compare for themselves the performance of the Akalis’ ten years with his five years. He referred to total failure of the Akalis on all fronts whether welfare or infrastructure development. He said, no welfare scheme whether the shagun scheme or the old age pension or widow pension, nothing was being disbursed and payments were pending for about a year now.
Similarly, he said, the industry was shifting out of Punjab leading to unemployment. “When there are no industries there will be no jobs”, he observed, while pointing out how because of wrong policies of the Akalis the industry was shifting to the states like Gujarat and Jharkhand.
Referring to Sukhbir Badal’s claims about Punjab to be power surplus he remarked, there are still power cuts everywhere. He said, the power projects in private sector which were facilitated by the Akalis by forcibly acquiring land of the farmers had not any commitment towards supplying power to Punjab. He said, if these power plants get better price from other states they will be free to do that and Punjab will continue to remain dark.
Replying to the Chief Minister Mr Badal’s claims that he kept waiting for the Congress leaders yesterday outside his residence, Capt Amarinder made it categorically clear that they had not gone to meet him (Mr Badal). “We only wanted to wake you up from your deep slumber that the farmers are dying, they are committing suicides because of your wrong policies and you are not bothered”, he asserted, adding, “nobody was keen to meet him or have his tea”.
OROP denial
Referring to the delay in one rank one pension (OROP) scheme by the BJP government at the centre, he reminded the Prime Minister Narendra Modi about his promise he had made before the elections. He said, if he could announce Rs 1.25 lakh crores for Bihar and Rs 1 lakh crore for Kashmir, why he could not sanction Rs 9100 crores for the OROP for the people who had given their life for the nation.
No problems with any senior PCC leader
Later talking to the reporters, he said, he had told the Congress President Ms Sonia Gandhi at the time of General Elections in 2014 that he was not interested in the national politics as Punjab was his priority. He said, Ms Gandhi had also agreed with him and even assured him that he could resign at the right time to serve Punjab.
He made it categorically clear that the selection of the PCC President was the prerogative of the Congress president. “I have given her my opinion”, he said, while maintaining that he did not have any problems with any of the senior leaders in Punjab but had only some differences on certain issues which he had already conveyed to the party high command.
Only bilateral Indo-Pak talks
Replying to a question on the National Security Advisor level talks between India and Pakistan, Capt Amarinder Singh made it categorically clear that inviting Hurriyat leaders by Pakistan High Commissioner was wrong. He said, talks should always be held but only on bilateral level and there cannot by any third party. He said, government of India was right in its objections to Pakistan High Commissioner’s invite to Hurriyat leaders.
Speaking on the occasion CLP leader Sunil Jakhar had a dig at the BJP leaders saying if they had any self respect they should have resigned from the government long back. He said, BJP was to be equally responsible for the state of affairs in Punjab as the Akalis.
Senior party leader and CWC member Mohinder Singh Kaypee, former union minister Ms Santosh Chaudhary, Sunder Shyam Arora, PYC president Amarpreet Singh Laly, Sangat Singh Gilzian and Rajneesh Babbi also spoke on the occasion.
Among others present on the occasion included Sunil Jakhar, Rana Gurjeet Singh, Sukhjinder Randhawa, Dr Raj Kumar Verka, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Ram Lubhaya, Harminder Gill, Satnam Kainth, Raman Behal, Raman Bhall, Pawan Adhia, Naresh Puri, Balbir Fatehpuria, Love Kumar Goldy, Micky Dogra, Jagbir Brar, Raj Kumar Chabbewal, Rachpal Singh Pal, Jaswant Singh Chautala and others.
