SAD chief flays AAP for selling govt bonds to finance land acquisition

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday condemned the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led state government for selling government bonds to finance the needless acquisition of 24,000 acres of fertile farm land adjoining the city to fill its own coffers.

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Terming the entire move as a multi-hundred crore scam, the SAD president while talking to the media here said: “While the tax payer will pay the price for the Rs 1,000 crore being borrowed by the goverbment to fund the land acquisition, AAP will use the acquisition process to make money. It is promising change of land use in back dates to property dealers and land sharks in exchange for bribes.”

Asserting that it was the reason why the Chief Minister had turned a blind eye to the plight of thousands of farmers whose fertile lands would be snatched, Sukhbir said: “The SAD is committed to saving this farm land. That is why we have announced that we will not let even one inch of the land to be acquired.

Anil Joshi rejoins SAD

The SAD on Monday received a shot in the arm with former cabinet minister Anil Joshi making a comeback into the party as well as joining the SAD’s election campaign in the Ludhiana West byelection.

Welcoming Joshi back into the party, the SAD president said the senior leader was like his younger brother.

“We have a bond spanning two decades. It gives me immense happiness that Joshi has decided to rejoin the SAD in the interest of Punjab and Punjabiyat. We all feel there is a need to bring back the era of peace and communal harmony and will strive for the same,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Joshi said: “It is the need of the hour to strengthen the regional party which alone understands and makes its programmes and policies as per aspirations of Punjabis.”

He said the SAD had always safeguarded the interests of Punjabis and he was confident that it would continue to reflect the aspirations of each and every segment of society.

Later, Badal also inducted former jathedar Harbhajan Singh Dang’s brother Gurdeep Singh Rana Dang into the party. Rana Dang had contested the last municipal elections as an Independent.