Will avenge Dalit atrocities: Amarinder

Sanjay Bumbroo & Surinder Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Mandi Gobindgarh, January 21

PPCC president Capt Amarinder Singh, while answering a question regarding allegations of Navjot Singh Sidhu on promotion of transport companies and setting up of hotels and other properties by Badals, today said he would form a Special Investigation team to look into the matter.

Addressing a rally by Congress candidates Gurpreet Singh GP and Randeep Singh at Bassi Pathana and Mandi Gobindgarh, respectively, Amarinder termed Badals as “dusht” (wicked) and vowed to give a massive defeat to Parkash Singh Badal in Lambi to punish him for the “atrocities” he had committed against Dalits and other sections of society during the last 10 years of his rule. He said atrocities against Dalits had gone up manifold, increasing from 651 in 2007 to 12,834 by 2015. Promising to bring Dalits back into the mainstream of the society with welfare schemes as promised in the party manifesto, Amarinder said he would ensure that all those found guilty of any crime against Dalits are given exemplary punishment.

Badal aide joins Cong

Rajesh Pal Singh, alias Lali Bhaji, a confidant of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's family, along with Parminder Singh Salh, president of the Bassi Pathana Municipal Council Bassi, three councillors and 20 sarpanches and former sarpanches today joined the Congress in the presence of Capt Amarinder Singh. He claimed that there was a wave in favour of the party.