Congress deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday accused chief minister Parkash Singh Badal of derailing the state's economy. He said Badal had pushed Punjab into `1.65 lakh crore debt trap.
He said the grants being distributed by Badal during his sangat darshan programmes was being pocketed by Akali leaders. "Who will clear the debt of the state?" questioned Amarinder.
Addressing a public meeting organised by Amloh legislator Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Amarinder said: "While Punjab's debt is increasing by the day, the Badal family is making huge profits from its businesses. Badal, who owned 80 acres of land before joining politics, now has assets worth lakhs of crores of rupees. All this is because Badal had has promoted his family business instead of watching state's interests."
WARNS CM AGAINST PANTHIC AGENDA
Amarinder also warned Badal against pursuing Panthic and Khalistan Agenda. "In a bid to divert people's attention from burning issues, Badal is pursing Panthic and Khalistan agenda," he said, adding that Badal's Panthic agneda had ruined the state industry. Punjab was at the top in farming and industry, but now it stands nowhere at the national level, he added.
Amarinder also took a jibe at Badal for accusing him of driving a wedge between the alliance partners Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "Why are you feeling so insecure and why should I drive a wedge between you and the BJP?" questioned Amarinder. "The BJP will eventually have to part ways with the Akalis as Badal has embarked on a Panthic and Khalistan agenda," said Amarinder.
He said to chuck Hindu-majority areas out of Punjab, Badal and others launched the Punjabi Suba Movement to get power. In the process, Punjab lost precious forest and water resources of Himachal Pradesh and industrial hubs to Haryana, he added.
Rs 10 DEBT DAILY ON EVERY PERSON
Addressing a rally at Bhadson on Monday, Congress leader and former finance minister Lal Singh said every person in Punjab was coming under a debt of `10 per day due to state government's financial mismanagement.
He said a debt of `1.65 lakh crore on the state and its public sector undertakings was the highest in the past 41 years. He said during the past eight years of the SAD-BJP government, Punjab had been burdened with a debt of `73,345 crore, whereas during Amarinder's tenure as the CM, the debt never increased over `19,000 crore.
Rs 10 DEBT DAILY ON EVERY PERSON
Addressing a rally at Bhadson on Monday, Congress leader and former finance minister Lal Singh said every person in Punjab was coming under a debt of `10 per day due to state government's financial mismanagement.
He said a debt of `1.65 lakh crore on the state and its public sector undertakings was the highest in the past 41 years. He said during the past eight years of the SAD-BJP government, Punjab had been burdened with a debt of `73,345 crore, whereas during Amarinder's tenure as the CM, the debt never increased over `19,000 crore.
CHEEMA FLAYS CAPT
Dismissing Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Captain Amarinder Singh's allegations against chief minister Parkash Singh Badal of pursuing Khalistan agenda, education minister Daljit Singh Cheema said such statements reflect the frustration of the Congress leader.
In a statement, Shiromani Akali Dal secretary and party spokesman Cheema said before levelling such allegations Amarinder should remember his past when he signed the historic "Amritsar Declaration'. He urged him to read this document once again and the things will become clear that who was supporting the Khalistan demand, said Cheema.
He said it was surprising that a leader like Amarinder, who resigned in 1984 protesting the attack on the Golden Temple, is trying to cover up the misdeeds of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi to regain the lost position of state Congress chief.
The Congress is resorting to mudslinging as it has no nothing to show against the Akali-BJP government in the state.