SAD traded Punjab’s right for Cabinet berth, says Aujla

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 25

Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Congress candidate from the Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency, on Thursday lambasted Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders, accusing them of selling Punjab’s rights in lieu of a Cabinet birth in the Central Government.

Aujla addressed a gathering of supporters at Varpal village near here. He said Punjab had been brought to the verge of ruins in the 10 years of the SAD-BJP rule in the state. “Even as SAD is a partner of the Central Government, it has never raised any issue concerning Punjab merely to save the Cabinet birth of Harsimrat Kaur Badal. While seeking a Cabinet berth for his wife, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had camped in Delhi for 10 days, but he didn’t show the same zeal on any of the issues of the state. The BJP bought the silence of the SAD leaders by accommodating Harsimrat Badal. The people have suffered due to this,” Aujla said.

Aujla also criticised the BJP for the “shifting of industrial units from Punjab” to other states. “The BJP has always ignored Punjab and given it step-motherly treatment. The Congress government in the state has brought a policy which will attract industry and trade. BJP candidate Hardeep Singh Puri never spoke a word when Modi government imposed the GST on langar at the Golden Temple. I kept working on it through protests and other tactics after which the GST was exempted,” he said.

Aujla accused the BJP of trying to divide people on the basis of caste and religion. “The politics of deceit and jumlebazi needs to be stopped and brotherhood along with development should be promoted,” he added.