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Opposition terms Punjab governor’s address as ‘bundle of lies’
The debate on the governor’s address was concluded by finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema in the absence of chief minister Bhagwant Mann
Leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa on Monday termed the governor’s address on the opening day of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha session on Friday as a ‘bundle of lies’ and ‘far from reality’.
The debate on the governor’s address was concluded by finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema in the absence of chief minister Bhagwant Mann. Concluding the debate, Cheema said that the AAP has fulfilled its promise during the 2022 elections to provide free electricity to the people of Punjab as 90% of domestic electricity consumers now receive zero electricity bills. Cheema criticised the Congress party’s walkout during the session, attributing it to their inability to confront the current government’s success in clearing the ₹9,000 crore subsidy arrears of the previous state governments.
“Akali-BJP and Congress governments left Punjab with a staggering debt burden of approximately ₹3 lakh crore, with an interest liability of whopping ₹20,000 crore annually, a significant drain on the state’s finances,” he added.
Earlier, participating in the debate on the governor’s address, Bajwa said that what governor Gulab Chand Kataria said in the House was at the behest of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and not reality.
“AAP government has proved the slogan of Jai Jawan –Jai Kisan erroneous as in their government army officer and farmers are being persecuted,” Bajwa said referring to forcible eviction of protesting farmers from Shambhu and Khanauri borders on March 19 and assault on a serving Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath in Patiala.
The LoP’s comments drew sharp reactions from the treasury benches creating an uproar in the House. Bajwa, continuing his broadside against the government, said: “The farmers were invited for talks and were later detained. The farmers were forcibly removed from the protest sites and now their belongings such as tractors, trolleys, air conditioners, beds and beddings were being taken away by unscrupulous elements.”
Cabinet minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal objected to the accusation bringing out the fact that farmers came on the invitation of central ministers and refuted Bajwa’s claims that farmers’ belongings were being stolen.
The LoP further alleged that farmers, during the paddy procurement, suffered per quintal loss of at least ₹200, totalling ₹3,500 to ₹4,000 crore statewide.
“As many as 185 lakh tonnes of paddy was expected to arrive in the state mandis but 175 lakh tonnes arrived, Bajwa said, reminding AAP of its 2022 promise of offering ₹1,000 per month to every woman of the state above the age of 18 years which hasn’t been implemented yet.
“Party’s supremo Arvind Kejriwal promised to raise ₹56,000 crore to ease state coffers. He said ₹20,000 crore will come as annual revenue from sand mining and ₹36,000 crore will come by plugging revenue loss, Bajwa said. This led to another uproar in the House with cabinet minister Barinder Goyal and MLA Ajit Pal Kohli objecting to Bajwa’s remarks.
Cheema lists govt’s achievements
Bajwa termed government action against drug peddlers as cosmetic. “The AAP government had promised to reduce the state debt, however, by the end of its five years, the debt will have increased manifold,” Bajwa said
Cheema added that the health and education sectors have improved tremendously during the three years of the AAP govt, while an improved law and order scenario has managed to attract over ₹90,000 crore as investments.
“Anti-Gangster Task Force has dismantled the gangster culture. Congress party gave birth to gangster culture in the state, gangsters from other states were brought and kept in Punjab jails”, Cheema said adding that during state government’s “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign has led to 2,200 FIRs, 3,800 arrests, and demolition of 43 illegally-constructed properties of drug dealers.
