Punjab BJP chief Malik targets PPCC president Jakhar

NEW DELHI: State BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Shwait Malik on Sunday fired salvo in the National Capital against PPCC president and Gurdaspur MP Sunil Jakhar asking him to direct his agitation against Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh for “misgovernance and neglect of farmers”.

File photo of Punjab BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Shwait Malik.

Ravi S Singh
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 17

Escalating war of words with the ruling Congress in Punjab, state BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Shwait Malik on Sunday fired salvo in the National Capital against PPCC president and Gurdaspur MP Sunil Jakhar asking him to direct his agitation against Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh for “misgovernance and neglect of farmers”.

“The Congress president should stop diverting public attention from bad governance of his party government by targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Malik said while speaking to media persons, adding that Jakhar should stage dharna at the residence and office of Capt Amarinder.

The BJP chief also indicated that his party will soon launch a state-wide agitation against the Congress government for not fulfilling poll promises, including waiver of farmers’ loans to the tune of Rs 94,000 crore, and jobs to youth.

The average number of suicides by farmers every day has increased to five. They trusted Congress’ promises during the last Assembly elections. Now the state government is becoming indifferent in the matter, he added.

He alleged that the government has waived loans worth to the tune of less than Rs 300 crore.
He said Jakhar owes and explanation why the government has reduced the upper limit on borrowing of loan from cooperate banks with subsidised interest rates from Rs 14,000 per acre to Rs 10,00 per acre.

Capt Amarinder’s refrain the state was facing budgetary crunch, but has appointed 21 OSDs on salaries and perks. “Either it is an admission by the government that the Council of Ministers is inept, or the Chief Minster is adjusting his cronies,” Malik said, asking the Jakhar to come clean in the matter.

He alleged that the state has yet not signed the agreement with the Centre for implementation of national Namo health insurance scheme. As per the scheme, the funding is on the pattern of 60:40 (Centre and State). This deprives people in rural areas, including farmers, from availing the scheme.