He should have declined award: Ex-Dy Speaker

Tribune News Service

Patiala, March 30

Former Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Bir Devinder Singh today questioned the sagacity of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in accepting the Padma Vibhushan.

“In view of the endless sufferings of Punjab farmers, unprecedented debt against the state and anti-farmer land acquisition policy of the Modi government, Badal should have not accepted the award,” he said in a statement.

“When Badal took over the reins of the state in 2007, the state’s debt was Rs 53,000 crore. The colossal fiscal mismanagement of the Badal dispensation is to be blamed for the state’s financial mess. His leadership has burdened Punjab by Rs 71,000 crore more debt,” he alleged.

He said according to the figures by the National Crime Records Bureau, a total of 2,70,940 farmers had committed suicide in India since 1995, of whom 97,000 belonged to Punjab.