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Nov 1 debate: Mann says will discuss all issues after SAD seeks agenda details
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said there will be a detailed discussion on all the issues of Punjab during the November 1 debate
Chandigarh : Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said there will be a detailed discussion on all the issues of Punjab during the November 1 debate.
The CM’s statement comes after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) urged him to clarify the agenda for the debate.
In a statement here, Mann said they want to debate with the opposition not just on SYL, but on all the issues pertaining to Punjab. “Since the formation of Punjab on November 1, 1966, it is very important for Punjab to debate how its agriculture has deteriorated and how agriculture has become a loss-making business.” Mann said.
“Punjab is struggling with water problems. Hence, we will also discuss water issues and how Punjab’s water was looted. Apart from this, we will also discuss in detail the problems of drugs, how the drug mafia became dominant in Punjab and how the youth were trapped in the drugs quagmire,” he added.
“The youth of Punjab are going abroad in large numbers. After all, what is the compulsion that they have to leave their country and go abroad? We will discuss that too,” the CM said.
Mann said that every day the opposition parties bring up something new to attack the government, due to which a lot of time is wasted. “We thought that instead of bickering every day, it is better to speak openly on the issues of Punjab. There should be a debate so that everything is clear to the people of Punjab,” he said.
Earlier, the SAD said no agenda has been released for the November 1 debate till now, asking Mann to give details of the agenda by 1pm on Monday.
SAD leaders Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Bikram Singh Majithia and Daljit Singh Cheema issued a joint statement, saying the main issue before the state is the recent Supreme Court judgment directing the Punjab government to complete the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in a time-bound manner.
“The need of the hour is to finalise a joint strategy to unitedly oppose this. For that, it will be better if the focus of the discussion is restricted to saving the river waters of Punjab at any cost. Other issues can be discussed at a different date,” they said.
The SAD leaders said keeping in view the importance of the issue for the state and its farmers, the detailed agenda should be drawn up in advance.
“A formal meeting between the CM and representatives of all political parties can also be held immediately to finalise the agenda as well as other minute details,” they added.
Hitting out at the SAD, a spokesperson of the CM’s office said that instead of ensuring their presence in this debate, the Akali Dal leadership is making lame excuses to run from this discussion.
The CM had challenged the opposition parties for an open debate on issues concerning the state on November 1.
On October 26, Mann said the main political parties of Punjab would have to answer for their misdeeds during the ‘Main Punjab Bolda Haan’ debate in Ludhiana.
