No-trust vote: SAD attacks Congress; AAP questions PM

Ravi S.Singh
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 20

Supplementing Narendra Modi government’s fusillade against the Congress during the debate on no-confidence motion against it, the NDA’s Punjab ally Shiromani Akali Dal said it was “deceitful”, “undemocratic”, and not to be trusted.

On the other hand AAP’s Bhagwant Singh Mann supported the motion and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi with regard unfulfilled promises, including on providing two crore jobs to youths and giving remunerative prices for agriculture produce.

Mounting SAD’s attack on Congress, its leader Prem Singh Chandumajra said: “The party practices the policy of divide, and betrayal”.

The grand old party withdrew support to governments headed by Chandra Shekhar, HD Devegowad and Naresh Gujral midway when it was expedient to it. After Independence, it acted against the Akali veteran Master Tara Singh by getting him arrested after Independence, even though the latter supported it.

Countering the Congress for questioning democratic credentials of the BJP-led NDA, Chandumajra said it misused Article 356 of the Constitution to topple the Akali government in Punjab several times, and against EM S Namboodripad-led Communist government in Kerala.

He said the Congress has been reduced to such a pitiable position that it has to depend on the TDP, the mover of the no-confidence motion, for its politics, he added.

He cautioned the TDP, mover of the motion, not to repose faith in the Congress.  Raising questions on Congress president Rahul Gandhi hugging Prime Minister after his speech during the debate, Chandumajra asked why he did not extend the same courtesy to widows of soldiers and family members of farmers who committed suicide by visiting their houses.

Laying it thick on the Congress, he said it perpetrated Blue Star Operation just for the sake of power, and added that its government tried to shield principal accused in anti-Sikh riot by closing the CBI pursued cases against them. He named former Union Minister and Sajjan Kumar to this effect.

He lauded the NDA government for constituting SIT to expedite the cases and for providing monetary relief to the Sikhs who were illegally detained in Jodhpur Jail during the Blue Star Operation. Also, monetary benefits of  five lakh rupees was provided as relief to the victims families of  the anti-Sikh riots.

He praised the government for its model of government that beneficially impacted lives of 90 per cent people, in stark contrast to Congress model of government, which touch only lives of 10 per cent people.

Government’s decision to enhance the MSP of agriculture produce and its welfare schemes were also appreciated by him.