Capt promises to bring Patiala back on development track

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 1

Accompanied by his wife and incumbent Patiala Urban MLA Preneet Kaur, Capt Amarinder Singh today announced immediate steps by his government to give “malikana” (proprietary) rights to the poor people living in localities such as Dhakka and Sanjay colonies, while assuring regularisation of all contractual employees. This was perhaps one of the last rallies addressed by Capt Amarinder in his hometown.

In a clear effort to woo the Dalit and Backward Class voters in his constituency, he addressed a late-evening rally in Patiala (Urban), from where he is contesting elections, along with Lambi. Capt Amarinder said people living in such colonies lacked basic amenities even after staying there for several decades.

“Regularisation of these colonies, with ownership rights to these people, would lead to their development and ensure a better future for them and their children. Development of Patiala would remain a top priority for his government, once in power,” he announced from the stage.

“Patiala was ignored only because it was his hometown. Therefore after coming to power, the first I will ensure is that Patiala is put back on the development track,” he said, adding that even the main roads leading to the city are in a poor shape and need repair. Accusing the Badal government of meting out step-motherly treatment to Patiala because it was his hometown, Capt Amarinder promised revival of all development works that had been stopped by the Akali government.

The Congress chief ministerial candidate reassured the people that “Dera land leaseholders would not be uprooted from their properties and his government would regularise all such properties to protect their interests”. It is pertinent to mention that Patiala has a large number of such land owners.

The PPCC president reiterated his promise of regularisation of all contractual employees, of which a large section belongs to Patiala. His government, he said, would not allow these employees to be subjected to any more discrimination and will take immediate steps after taking over the reins of the state to bring them into the ambit of regular employees.

Badal has been pleading and begging for votes, he told the gathering while lashing out at the Chief Minister for the continued efforts of the SAD to polarise the state, as seen in the Sacrilege incident in Lambi just four days ago.

If not checked, AAP would turn Punjab into another Kashmir, with Pakistan ready to take advantage of the situation arising out of the extreme left-right mix of the party’s ideology, warned Capt Amarinder, recalling the horror and bloodshed of 1970. Kejriwal, said the Punjab Congress president, cares neither for Punjab nor for India, and with his Haryanvi roots, would never stand up for Punjab, which had most of its disputes with Haryana.

Earlier, in an emotional appeal to the crowd, Captain Amarinder’s wife and MLA Preneet Kaur said a vote for him would make every Patialavi the chief minister of the state and the district would once again embark on the path of development under his leadership.