SAD patronising criminals, Badal too old to lead: Amarinder

Criticising the SAD-BJP government for "engineering the demoralisation of the police to suit its political interests", Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday asserted, "Punjab is unsafe for women."

Criticising the SAD-BJP government for "engineering the demoralisation of the police to suit its political interests", Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday asserted, "Punjab is unsafe for women."

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On the recent spurt in incidents of crime against women, Amarinder said, "Snatching of purses and chains was enough to force women indoors. And now eve-teasing has grown to alarming proportions in the current regime."

The former chief minister alleged that the state government had "deliberately" failed to constitute the Punjab State Commission for Women ever since its term expired on December 31, 2011. "The high court directed the government to constitute the commission by December 14, but it is yet to be notified."

Terming CM Parkash Singh Badal "too old to lead", Amarinder said that though Badal's daughter-in-law and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur was helming a campaign against female foeticide, Badal shared the stage with Bholath MLA Bibi Jagir Kaur, who was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for forcible abortion of her daughter. "It seems Badal and Harsimrat are not consulting each other at home before taking a public stance on female foeticide. Badal is promoting criminals in politics."

He reiterated the charge that "Akali goons have no fear of the police, as the police force has been made a tool for Akali MLAs and jathedars by re-defining the jurisdiction assembly constituency-wise."