Harsimrat hits out at govt over ‘goonda tax’

Tribune News Service
Bathinda, August 9

Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal today said it was shocking that the Congress government “had become party to halting of construction work on the Kartarpur Sahib corridor due to greed of the party leaders who had imposed ‘goonda tax’ on transporters besides forming a sand mafia to indulge in illegal mining”.

Addressing mediapersons during her visit here, the Union Minister said it was shocking to know that work on the Kartarpur corridor had been stopped for the past 10 days due to “artificial scarcity” of mining material created by the sand mafia.

“The collection of ‘goonda tax’ at various points near riverbeds by the front men of Congress leaders has resulted in skyrocketing prices of sand and gravel, making it impossible for the construction company to complete the project,” she added.

Mining material for the corridor is being procured from quarries in the vicinity of Pathankot.

Demanding stern action against the sand mafia who were openly operating in the state with the “backing of Congress leaders and ministers,” Harsimrat said the “anti-Sikh mindset” of the Congress leaders was exposed yet again.

“The Congress did not even spare the pious project of Kartarpur corridor and have put the project in peril by resorting to illegal mining as well as collection of goonda tax,” she said.

The Union Minister added that Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh should immediately intervene in the matter and ensure resumption of work on the Kartarpur corridor by taking exemplary action against the sand mafia as well as their political masters.