Capt attacks Bajwa, questions notices to three Cong leaders

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 1

Mounting a fresh attack on Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Partap Singh Bajwa, former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today said the timing of issuing show-cause notices to the three Congress leaders a day ahead of the launching of his mass contact programme was reflective of his (Bajwa’s) poor leadership. The timing of the show-cause notices had raised suspicion in the minds of party leaders, he said.

At his first meeting organised at Dhina village in the cantonment area as a part of his state-wide campaign to contact party workers here today, Amarinder drew commendable response with CLP leader Sunil Jakhar, Jalandhar MP Chaudhary Santokh Singh and 14 Congress MLAs attending the rally.

Projecting him as the next Chief Minister, they said Amarinder Singh had the ability to take on the Badals. Today’s meeting was organised by Jagbir Singh Brar, former MLA from the Jalandhar cantonment constituency.

Extending his full support to Jagbir Singh Brar, PPCC general secretary Satnam Kainth and Muktsar MLA Karan Kaur Brar, who have been issued show-cause notices by Bajwa, Amarinder said while Brar and Kainth were unwell, Karan Kaur had already clarified that she was misquoted. Hence, there was no reason to give them the notices.

If Bajwa thinks that issuing notices can help him, he is grossly mistaken, Amarinder asserted. The former Punjab Chief Minister said AICC general secretary Shakeel Ahmed had been apprised of the programme. “By holding this programme, I am not challenging Bajwa’s authority. I am doing my business, he is doing his”, he said. “In any case, Bajwa cannot go around in all 12,700 villages of Punjab alone”, he added. The rally began with a strong anti-Bajwa chorus from Col CD Kamboj, a leader from Shahkot, and Satnam Kainth from Adampur.

Kamboj said Bajwa did not even inform him about his rally in Shahkot. “I challenge him to issue a notice to me for not attending his programme.” Kainth explained about the injury due to which he could not attend Bajwa’s programme. The focus gradually shifted to the ruling SAD-BJP alliance and increasing drug addiction in the state.

Amarinder targeted the Badals saying they had failed to put to appropriate use the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) premises. “The government gave the building to Rakhra, who has experience only in sowing wheat and knows nothing about medical treatment. The infrastructure valued at Rs 15,000 crore has been wasted”, he said. Taking a jibe at the Chief Minister, he said, “Badal cannot even present the problems of his state properly  to the Centre. He can just present a bouquet and get pictures clicked with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The wheat in mandis has not been completely lifted and paddy has already been sown.”