E-Paper
Punjab AAP neglecting industry, scrapped Ludhiana textile park project: Union minister
Attempts to establish contact with CM regarding industrial welfare unsuccessful, says Union minister Giriraj Singh; Rajya Sabha member Sanjeev Arora maintains the AAP government has done a lot for the industry
Accusing the state government of scrapping the mega textile park project that was proposed to “give a fillip” to industrial development in the city, Union minister of textiles Giriraj Singh on Sunday said the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government was “neglecting” Ludhiana’s textile industry.
Addressing mediapersons, Singh said the central government has been making efforts to uplift the industry, but the “Punjab government has hindered progress” by cancelling the Mega Textile Park project in Ludhiana. He highlighted that the initial investment for the project was ₹1,000 crore, which could have attracted investment worth ₹10,000 crore and generated one lakh jobs.
The Union minister claimed that despite being on a two-day visit to Ludhiana, his attempts to establish contact with CM Bhagwant Mann regarding industrial welfare were unsuccessful. He further alleged that no senior officer from the state industry department met him. “After returning to Delhi, I will continue trying to speak with Bhagwant Mann and will also write to him regarding this matter,” he said.
Raising concerns over religious conversions, the minister claimed that over two lakh people have been converted in Punjab in the past three years. He stressed the need for a strict anti-conversion law to curb the practice.
Regarding the drug issue, Giriraj Singh said the Punjab government tried to replicate Uttar Pradesh’s bulldozer action but has been targeting “poor” instead of cracking down on major drug traffickers. Targeting former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, he said Kejriwal, who used to claim that former Delhi CM Sheela Dixit would go to jail, himself went to jail for “corrupt” practices. “All claims of ‘Delhi Model’ regarding health, education and other sectors failed. The Punjab government has not started giving ₹1,000 to women as promised before assembly election. The state government also failed to give MSP on crops, which they had promised,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora refuted the allegations of the Union minister. “The AAP government has done a lot for the industrial sector,” he added.
The Punjab government had in July 2022 scrapped the proposed textile park project at Koom Kalan village near the Mattewara forest amid protest by activists against the move to set it up along Sutlej river.
‘Police action after Ludhiana clash biased’
Giriraj Singh made a call to police commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal, alleging the police action in connection with the recent clash in Bihari Colony (Ludhiana) on Holi was biased. He said stones were pelted from a mosque when migrants were celebrating Holi. “The police took one-sided action under political pressure. I will be forced to stage a protest outside the residence of police commissioner if no action is taken against those who hurled stones,” he added.
