Ravi Dhaliwal
Pathankot, October 31
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today warned “corrupt” Congress leaders that they could join any political party, but the thought that he would spare them should never cross their mind.
The Chief Minister was on a visit here to oversee the paddy procurement process.
Mann said not many people knew that a cash-counting machine was found from the residence of tainted former Congress minister Sundar Sham Arora.
“Recovery of a cash-counting machine is indicative of the level of corruption he was indulging in. Such machines are normally used in banks and commercial establishments dealing with huge cash incomings. Despite the discovery, the minister was not ready to admit that he had committed fraudulent deeds,” the CM said.
He warned the Congress leaders that even if they took refuge in the BJP to escape being raided by the ED and the I-T Department, he was not going to spare them.
The CM also took potshots at former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
“The entire Food Processing Ministry in New Delhi, which she headed at one time, knew that Pathankot was a top litchi producing district of the country. However, she chose to ignore this fact,” the CM said.
He said the government was working on a blueprint to relieve farmers from the paddy-wheat circle and draw them into litchi production.
Meanwhile, Food, Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said the government was adhering to the policy of zero-tolerance towards any bungling purchase and would take a strong action against those indulging in the malpractices. He said as part of this, Bhai Lehna Ji Rice Mills, Bariwala, had been blacklisted for three years.
Rice mill blacklisted
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Monday said a rice mill in Muktsar had been blacklisted for three years after excess paddy stock was found from its premises.
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