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‘LACK OF FUNDS’ Manpreet asks Bittu to raise issues within party
On Saturday, Bittu had said that lack of funds for development was the main grouse of Congress MLAs and party workers against the government
A day after Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu claimed that lack of funds for development works is the main grouse of Congress MLAs against the state government, finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal on Sunday asked Bittu to raise such issues within the party instead of going public.
Talking to the media here, Manpreet said, “It’s not good for the party if leaders like Bittu raise such issues in public as these are internal party matters and should be settled internally.”
“If Bittu has any doubts about my functioning or about my sincerity towards my job, he should convey his concern to chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh or Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar,” he said.
On Bittu’s demand to generate resources by borrowing, Manpreet said that it is not good to run a government by borrowing and mortgaging state’s properties, which is “akin to selling the future of coming generations”.
Regarding Bittu reminding him of his promise to bring the state out of “financial mess created by previous SAD-BJP government” within three years, Manpreet said. “The audit of state’s finances takes place every year. It will be done this year also, which will show the difference between the state’s financial condition when the Congress government was formed in 2017 and that of the present.
On Saturday, Bittu had said that lack of funds for development was the main grouse of Congress MLAs and party workers against the government and it was the responsibility of the finance minister to generate resources even if the government has to borrow for this purpose.
SAD DEMANDS FINANCE MINISTER’S RESIGNATION
Meanwhile, SAD leaders Bikram Singh Majithia and Daljeet Singh Cheema demanded resignation of Manpreet for alleged failure to improve the fiscal situation in the state.
Addressing a press conference in Ludhiana, they said Manpreet was also part of the manifesto committee of the Congress ahead of the 2017 assembly elections. The Congress government has failed to fulfil the pre-poll promises made to the people of the state, they alleged.
