Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Sri Hargobindpur/Chandigarh, The Punjab Congress President Mr Partap Singh Bajwa today said the Narendra Modi government at the centre had dealt another severe blow to the Akali Dal-BJP government in the state by rejecting the plea for allocating Rs. 2330 crore as the drought relief. The Modi government had hardened its attitude towards this state despite the fact that the BJP was a partner here. However, even the BJP leaders from the state had been sitting passive observer of the deepening crisis.
“I will like to remind the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, that for years, he has been alleging discrimination by the UPA government headed by Dr. Manmohan Singh who was not only the first Sikh prime minister of the country but also belonged to Amritsar. Badal had taken action against the Akali leaders who had welcomed his elevation. Mr Badal must have now realised that it was Dr Manmohan Singh who was too liberal towards Punjab despite the fact that he had virtually disowned the first Sikh Prime Minister for which he must now seek forgiveness. He also owes an explanation to the people about this discriminatory attitude of the Modi government towards the state where his own party is a partner”, he added.
Mr Bajwa said the rejection of drought relief to the farmers in this food bowl of the country reflected not only the failure of Mr Badal and his government but also his letting down by the BJP. He recalled that in the run up to the Lok Sabha election, Mr Badal and his son and the Shiromani Akali Dal chief Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal had raised the hopes of the people to a very high level saying Punjab would get tonnes of money once Mr Modibecame the Prime Minister. However, Mr Modi was there as the Prime Minister but the people had no idea in whose pockets that tonnes of money had gone, in case it was sent. Both father and son must clarify the real position before the people as the financial condition of the state was in such a mess that even teachers have not been getting salaries for months as the coffers were empty and for day-to-day affairs, the dependence was on advances under ways and means.
He suggested to Mr Badal that this was high time that his government should lodge an FIR with the police in the police station of its choice that the trucks of money dispatched by the Modi government to Punjab had gone missing on the way.
