The Shiromani Akali Dal –Bhartiya Janta Party leaders including all core committee members, MLAs and MPs led by the Party Presidents Sukhbir Singh Badal and Kamal Sharma today presented a memorandum to the Governor Punjab Shivraj.V.Patil at Punjab Raj Bhawan regarding the discriminatory policies followed by Congress led UPA Government while extending tax concessions to the neighboring states of Himachal and Uttranchal seeking his advice to the Union Government to reconsider their decision and to provide concessions to the State of Punjab at par with neighbouring states without any further delay.Condemning the highly discriminatory, illegal and unconstitutional decision of the congress led UPA government extending tax concessions to the neighboring states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttranchal, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the State Government has been successful in firming up investment worth more than Rs. 65,000 crore in the recently concluded “Progressive Punjab Investor's Summit”. “The action of the Congress led Central Government to extend tax concessions to the neighbouring states and denying the same incentives to the State of Punjab seems to be a well-entrenched conspiracy to sabotage the plans of the State Government to usher in an era of unprecedented industrial development in the State”, he added.
Advocating the claims of Punjab for special Industrial package, Mr. Badal said that Punjab has a 550 kilometer long alive border with a hostile country, it has to face the brunt of partition of 1947 as well as of two wars with Pakistan in 1965 & again in 1971, undergone a long period of turmoil, has the highest 32% schedule caste population in the State, industry in the state also suffers because of its geographical location and industry has to bear the high cost of transportation of raw material as well as that of finished goods. He said that SAD-BJP government was not against the grant of these tax concessions to any neighbouring state but the denial of these incentives to the border State of Punjab is a clear cut case of bias and step-motherly treatment to the State.
Lashing at Gandhi family for its anti Punjab policies, Mr. Badal said that SAD-BJP government had been pleading with the Union Government to allow such tax concessions package to the industry in the State in order to promote the industry and to improve the economy of the State but the Congress party under the influence of Gandhi family pressurised UPA Government to ignore the claims of the State.
He said that Partap Singh Bajwa and his PPCC leaders were so scared of losing their posts that they never dared to convince the Gandhi family to shed its anti Punjab attitude.Later talking to media, Mr Badal said that SAD-BJP alliance want to make it clear that it would not stay as a mute spectator to this injustice of the Congress led Union Government and alliance would take every possible step to safeguard the economy, development of industrial infrastructure and welfare of the State. He said that alliance would also raise this issue in coming parliament session. Replying to a media query Mr. Badal said that Punjab government has issued the orders to issue the tubewell connections for agricultural purpose applied till year 2007. He said that the demand notice for the same would be issued to the farmers within a week. Earlier addressing the party leaders at party head quarter here, Mr. Badal said that Congress led UPA government has left no stone unturned to harm the economical and social interests of Punjab. He further added “now it’s a matter of a few months and NDA under the leadership of Mr. Narender Modi is all set to form the next government”.He said that Mr. Modi was well aware of the needs of Punjab as he was Party in-charge of Punjab affairs for four years. He further advised Party leaders to ensure the proper implementation of the programmes and policies of the SAD-BJP government. Referring to the B and C class Committee areas, Mr. Badal said that no official of the Excise and Taxation department would be allowed to check the business premises falling under these committees without the written orders of the Excise Commissioner. He also asked them to propagate the welfare schemes like health card, distribution of utensil scheme etc. initiated in the state so that identified beneficiaries could take the maximum benefit.