Fatehgarh Sahib, December 26
The PPCC chief, Capt Amarinder Singh, while addressing a gathering at Shaheedi Jor Mela here today, said the main issues in the coming Assembly poll would be corruption and the shattered economy of the state. He said his party would strive to fulfil all social commitments envisaged in the constitution, adding that the manifesto of the party would be released soon. He said the one time prosperous state had slipped first to the 14th position in the country, according to a Reserve Bank of India report.
The PPCC chief dared the SAD chief to a debate on television regarding the problems of the state and corruption. He said when Mr Badal joined politics he and his family had only 82 acres of agriculture land whereas at present Mr Badal had assets worth more than Rs 3,500 crore.
He said he had directed all the District Congress Committee presidents to prepare lists and seek applications from the public about corruption by Akali workers, leaders and ministers in their respective areas and submit these to the PPCC office so that appropriate action could be taken after the forming of Congress government. He said Mr Badal would not be allowed to go
scot-free for extorting money even from the poor by “selling” them government jobs. He said every section of society was annoyed with the present government, adding that though the elections were round the corner, Mr Badal had still recruited 10 DSPs by taking Rs 1 crore each from them and ASIs by taking Rs 10 lakh each.
He strongly refuted the allegations of Mr Badal that the
previous Congress government left an empty treasury to them. He said when they handed over power to the Akalis, the total loan burden on the state government was Rs 8,300 crore out which Rs 5,000 crore was for security forces whereas at present the state had total loans of Rs 63,000 crore and “if we count the income of the state from all resources, it does not exceed Rs 60,000 crore.
He said at present the state was facing the problem of unemployment as in all 12,400 villages of the state the youth were not getting adequate job opportunities. He said jobs were being sold at a heavy price which the poor and ordinary men could not afford. He said the Congress would enact laws to create more job opportunities and set up big industries. It would also introduce diversification of crops. He said it was a matter of shame that during the past one year alone, 600 farmers had committed suicide due to a debt trap and still the Akalis called themselves, the champions of the farmers’ cause.
Chaudhry Jagjit Singh, Leader of the Opposition, alleged that Mr Badal had distributed Rs 180 crore from the Scheduled Caste students’ scholarship in his constituency. He said Mr Badal was anti-Dalit and had stopped all beneficial schemes for the Dalits initiated by the Congress. He urged the Dalits to unite under the leadership of Capt Amarinder Singh. He alleged that the BSP chief Mr Kanshi Ram was misleading the Dalits and is making deals with other political parties at their cost. “Whosoever gives him a handsome amount, he gives Dalit votes to him.” He cautioned the Dalits against the nefarious designs.
Interestingly the Congress had erected a small pandal for the conference as compared to the other political parties and had engaged a folk singer and dancers to attract a gathering.
Later, while talking to The Tribune, Capt Amarinder Singh appealed to the Election Commission to withhold the recruitment for all those posts for which the tests had been conducted by the PPCC and SS Board and the results had not yet been declared. He alleged that Mr Badal has taken huge amounts for filling these posts.
