(Says CM had given a free hand to liquor and sand mafia besides gangsters like Ansari)
(Says Cong govt purchasing power at Rs 2.80 per unit and selling it at Rs 9 per unit)
Bholath, April 5,2021L: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal today asked chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh to tell one thing he had done for the farmers, youth or weaker sections of society, saying a person who never stepped out of his farm house could not be expected to do anything for the people and the State.
Addressing a huge gathering here which was organized by Shiromani Committee President Bibi Jagir Kaur, the SAD President said instead of doing anything for the people, the chief minister was busy in looting the State by giving a free hand to the liquor and sand mafia besides gangsters like Mukhtiar Ansari who had spoiled the peace of Punjab. He also spoke about how the government was purchasing power at Rs 2.80 per unit but selling it to the industry at Rs 9 per unit and to domestic consumers at Rs 8 per unit.
Asserting that Congressmen had looted thousands of crores from the State exchequer by indulging in manufacture of illegal liquor as well as operation of the sand mafia in the State, Mr Badal said confidants of Congress legislators including Madan Lal Jalalpur, Hardyal Singh Kamboj and Gurkirat Singh Kotli were also responsible for running illegal distilleries in the State. He said similarly outsiders from Rajasthan and Jammu had teamed up with Congress legislators to form a sand mafia in the State which had caused a loss of Rs 2,000 crore to the State exchequer. He said while the State had suffered a loss of around Rs 6,500 crore in excise revenue, the State could not collect even Rs 100 crore out of the Rs 1,400 crore revenue projected by the Congress government from sand mining.
Mr Badal said in direct contrast to the Congress party, the SAD had always honoured the promises it made to Punjabis. “We made Punjab power surplus and linked all important towns and cities with four and six land highways. Two international airports were built during the SAD tenure. “Mr Parkash Singh Badal had promised to extend free power facility to farmers for agricultural operations and fulfilled this commitment in the very first cabinet meeting after assuming power in the State”. He said similarly the SAD was responsible for the start of assured food grain procurement on minimum support price (msp) in 1966. He said a majority of Agricultural markets for procurement of food grains were establishment during the tenure of SAD led government.
Assuring the people that the SAD would continue to safeguard the interests of the people, Mr Badal announced that once the SAD formed a government in the State it would not allow implementation of the three agricultural laws. He also announced that besides ensuring procurement of food grains on msp, the SAD government would also announce an msp for vegetables, fruits and milk. “Power tariff for domestic consumption will be halved while scheduled caste and backward class students will be given free education facility”.
The SAD President also lauded Bibi Jagir Kaur for the good work she had done in the constituency as well as her role in providing ‘langar’ and medical support to agitating farmers in Delhi as SGPC President. Asking the people to recognize their own, he said people like local legislator Sukhpal Khaira who were themselves mired in controversies after being accused of drug peddling and holding fake passports, could never give justice to them.
Bibi Jagir Kaur spoke about the betrayal done by AAP Punjab Convener Bhagwant Mann who had given his assent to the Essential Commodities Amendment Act in the Standing Committee of the Food and Consumer Affairs Committee. Senior leader Jagmeet Singh also spoke on the occasion. Yuvraj Bhupinder Singh was also present on the occasion.
Jangveer Singh
