Canada Uber Driver Tells Passenger He Would Have ‘Kidnapped Her If It Was Pakistan’
Chandigarh, May 1 – The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today expressedsurprise that the Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had chosen to retire to the hills for his summer holidays, giving the state he has been elected to serve a complete miss, at a time when farmers of the state were battling scorching summer and the state was facing a spate of suicides and law and order situation had nosedived in the past six weeks the state was. “The Chief Minister is needed in Punjab, especially in the midst of a critical procurement season. His abandoning the state and preferring personal comfort and luxury speaks volumes about his distorted priorities,” said Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, General Secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal. …
“The Chief Minister is yet to visit Punjab or even his home constituency of Patiala after taking oath of office. This has confirmed the charges that Capt Amarinder always chooses personal comfort and luxury above his sacred duties as chief minister of the State. He should remember that the people expect even opposition MLAs or MPs. to remain available with and for them and that as Chief Minister, Amarinder was expected to set an example for others in dedication and commitment to public service, ” said Mr Bhunder in a statement here this afternoon.
Mr Bhunder said that apart from the well known aristocratic mindset of Captain Singh, the CM may also be running away from the masses to escape accountability. “The Chief Minister seems to be shying away from the electorate now because his government is finding it difficult to face the people as it has not delivered on even one of its poll promises. Committees are being made to delay decision making. Excuses are being presented to prevent complete waiver of farm loans and other promises including raising social welfare pensions to Rs 2,000 per month and giving an unemployment dole of Rs 2,500 per month. Punjabi’s faith in the new government is eroding after only forty five days in power as they are finding it difficult to digest that the new chief minister is putting his holiday in the hills before them”, Mr Dhindsa added.
Mr Bhunder said that the Chief Minister of the state was needed in mandis during the wheat harvesting and procurement season so that officers and procurement agencies remained on their toes and ensured there was no slackness in procurement or payment of dues to farmers. The Akali leader said field visits by the chief minister would have toned up the administration and made it more responsive to the people.
Stating that this attitude did not augur well for Punjab, Mr Bhunder said the chief minister should have been with the people at Talwandi Sabo during the Baisakhi celebrations. He said similarly the CM should have participated in the commemorative function on the martyrdom of Shaheed Bhagat Singh on March 23. “The first forty days of the new Congress government does not give this impression. The State has been struck by a wave of farmer suicides. The chief minister has however refused to step out of his ivory tower and show compassion for the suffering farmers and apply balm to their wounds by visiting their homes and hearths,” said the senior Akali leader
The Akali leader said in direct contrast to the pro-people rule of Sardar Parkash Singh Badal we now have a government which is hiding its head from the people. Asking the new chief minister to learn from his predecessor, the SAD leader said Sardar Badal always remained among the people as CM. “Sardar Badal had his ear to the ground. He always took feedback from the people and made them a part of the decision making process. He also interacted with the people through sangat darshan programmes and provided immediate succour and relief wherever needed”.
