Return Chinese donations in PM Cares: Capt to Modi govt

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 29

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today called upon the Narendra Modi-led BJP government to return donations received in the PM Cares Fund from Chinese companies or firms with Chinese stake.

Calling for a firm stand against Beijing’s nefarious designs to grab Indian territory in eastern Ladakh, the CM said the People’s Liberation Army had intruded into the Indian territory and erected a tent in the Galwan valley on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control, resulting in the death of 20 Indian soldiers and unknown fatalities on the Chinese side following a clash.

With this, Capt Amarinder sought to refute PM’s statement at a recent all-party meeting that China had not occupied any Indian territory.

Slamming donations from Chinese firms at a time when the hostile neighbour was involved in aggression at the border, Capt Amarinder at a press conference said: “In such a situation, I urge the Prime Minister to return every single Chinese penny.” He also named some of the Chinese companies that had contributed to the PM Cares Fund.

The CM said the Punjab Government was reviewing possible Chinese stake in mobile firm Lava. The state government has tied up with the company to supply 1.6 lakh smartphones to girls studying in government senior secondary schools in the first phase of ‘Captain Smart Connect Scheme’.

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For reopening corridor

Capt Amarinder Singh said he was in favour of reopening the Kartarpur corridor, subject to observance of strict social distancing norms for the pilgrims in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

No reshuffle on cards

Dismissing reports of a Cabinet reshuffle, the CM said the government had a bigger task at hand of fighting the pandemic. On Navjot Sidhu’s role in tbhe Congress ahead of the 2022 Assembly polls, he said it was for party high command to decide.