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Oppn leaders running away from debate on Punjab issues: Mann
CM hits out at Oppn, says they are hand in glove with those who ruined state; debate scheduled to be held in PAU auditorium on Nov 1
Chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday accused the opposition leaders of running away from the November 1 debate on Punjab issues out of the fear of being exposed for their ‘misdeeds’. Mann said that the opposition leaders have been hand in glove with those who have ruined the state.
On October 8, Mann had challenged the opposition leaders for an open debate on issues facing the state, including the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue. At first, the opposition parties — Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and BJP — had accepted the challenge. But later, the SAD said it will not take part in the “sham” debate.
BJP state unit chief Sunil Jakhar had then slammed the CM for choosing Tagore Theatre in Chandigarh to discuss the serious issue of Punjab’s waters and had suggested the venue for debate in Abohar, or the Punjab Agricultural University. He also suggested a three-member panel of former AAP leaders to steer the debate.
Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa, who is also the leader of Opposition in the Punjab assembly, put a caveat that the debate be moderated by a retired judge of the Supreme Court or a person on whom political parties agree. State Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring had said the ideal platform for the debate should have been a Vidhan Sabha session.
The CM, however, has decided to go ahead with the debate at the auditorium of the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in Ludhiana on November 1, also the Punjab Day. “Whether these leaders come or not, we will keep the chairs of these leaders at the debate,” the CM said.
In a lighter vein, Mann said the leaders, should they choose to come, will be welcomed by drinks of their choice. “Their favourite refreshments, like diet coke and pizza for Sukhbir Badal, black coffee for Bajwa, a glass of kinnow juice for Jakhar and tea for Warring,” Mann said.
The CM’s challenge came amid a slugfest between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the opposition parties over the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue.
The Supreme Court had on October 4 asked the Centre to conduct a survey of the land meant for construction of the SYL canal in Punjab to know how much work has been done and asked the Punjab government to extend co-operation in the survey.
“The hands and souls of these leaders are drenched with the blood of the state as they have betrayed Punjab and its people. People of the state can never forgive these leaders for their sins against the state,” Mann said while addressing a gathering during an event organised to hand over appointment letters to 304 new recruits in home, transport and revenue departments here on Sunday. Mann said that these leaders have deceived Punjab on all these issues for which they are answerable to the people of the state.
The CM said the debate will centre around how Punjab has been looted till now, nepotism, favouritism, toll plazas, youth, agriculture, traders-shopkeepers, Gurbani, robbing of river waters and others.
“These leaders looted the masses and are now afraid to face the people. They are finding one or another excuse not to have a debate with him,” the CM added.
