E-Paper
Modi’s visit a flop show, failed to address farmers’ issues: AAP
In a video statement, AAP’s media in-charge Baltej Pannu said Modi remained silent on farmers’ issues and the legal guarantee for minimum support price
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of failing to address Punjab’s key issues during his visit to the state and instead making “baseless allegations” against the Bhagwant Mann-led government.
Punjab AAP chief spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal termed the Prime Minister’s visit a “flop show”, alleging that he did not announce any financial package for the state. In a video statement, the party’s media in-charge Baltej Pannu said Modi remained silent on farmers’ issues and the legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP).
Targeting the BJP’s ‘double-engine government’ slogan, Pannu alleged that Punjab had already witnessed the BJP-Shiromani Akali Dal alliance government between 2007 and 2017 and was still facing the consequences of its policies. According to Pannu, the drug menace and gangster culture had increased during the BJP-Akali regime and the people of Punjab have not forgotten that period.
Addressing a press conference, Ajnala MLA Dhaliwal alleged that the Centre had withheld more than ₹50,000 crore under the Rural Development Fund (RDF) and other heads.
He claimed the Bhagwant Mann government was borrowing funds to invest in hospitals, schools, roads, healthcare and public welfare schemes, unlike the Centre, which he alleged favoured big industrialists.
He said the chief minister had repeatedly urged the Centre to install modern anti-drone systems along the state’s 532-km international border to check cross-border smuggling of drugs and weapons, but no effective action had been taken.
He claimed the Centre had not fulfilled its promise of ₹1,600 crore for flood relief nor addressed concerns over the impact of the proposed India-US trade agreement on Punjab’s farmers.
He claimed that while the Punjab government had provided compensation of ₹20,000 per acre and other relief to flood-affected farmers, the Centre had failed to extend adequate assistance.
