Punjab Congress MLA Raja Warring attacks state govt for not controlling ‘mafia’

Ruchika M. Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 3

Punjab Congress MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Tuesday took on his own government in the presence of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.

As the CM sat nonplussed, Warring said Congress MLAs felt embarrassed when people asked them why the party had not ended the activities of liquor and sand “mafia” in the state.

Speaking during the discussion on the budget proposals for 2020-21, Warring said it had been three years since the government had taken over, yet there was no sign of a transport policy that may end the transport mafia. “We should not delay it, or we will have to face the consequences. Kindly fulfil your commitment of giving 5,000 licences to young people to run their own buses,” he said.

Warring had recently been appointed adviser to the Chief Minister. However, his appointment, along with that of five other MLAs, was not approved by Punjab Governor V. P. Singh Badnore.

Giving a rather emotionally charged speech, Warring said it was also strange that the excise collection in Punjab was short by Rs 600 crore. Warring found support from members of his own party, including Cooperation Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa.

Warring said, “People ask us how come liquor is the most expensive in Punjab, but excise collections are falling? It is because the officers appointed by the government are not accountable. I have learnt that distilleries in the state are selling eight trucks without paying taxes for every two trucks on which tax is paid. This is because the officers here do nothing. Even the Chief Secretary does nothing except for making objections on all files,” he said, even as he named three other senior officers, accusing them of not doing their job well.

While recommending that the government allowed everyone to mine sand for free, he alleged that people in Punjab were talking about a Rajasthan-based sand contractor, referring to him as “Chandak daku”, who now controlled the sand mining business.

“You are the Babbar sher of Punjab. I urge you to act against all mafia,” he said, even as the Opposition benches and many of his own party cheered him.

Earlier, Surjit Singh Dhiman of the Congress took on the government, saying that there was large-scale corruption in government offices. “We need to look into this immediately,” he said, adding that policies were not being framed in accordance with the party’s pre-poll promises.

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