Making it categorically clear that his appeal to different opposition parties to join hands against the anti-people policies of the Akali-BJP government in the state was aimed at a specific purpose and a minimum programme only, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Capt Amarinder Singh today however, did not rule out a political alliance in the future.Talking to reporters after addressing a well attended workers meeting at Morinda in Chamkaur Sahib assembly segment organized by the local MLA Charanjit Singh Channi, Capt Amarinder said, his current appeal was specifically for the participation of these political parties in the protests being held all across Punjab on September 7.However, he added, “everything is possible in politics and I don’t rule out a broader political alliance in future”. He stated that he had spoken with all the political leaders including Manpreet Badal of the People’s Party of Punjab, Joginder Dayal of the Communist Party of India, Avatar Singh Karimpuri of Bahujan Samaj Party and others and all of them had shown their serious concern about the plight of common man in the state who had been burdened with heavy taxes.Earlier addressing the workers meeting, second in his current series of programmes he plans to hold all over Punjab in next three months, the PCC President lashed out at the ruling Akali-BJP alliance saying it had cheated people into grabbing power promising them moon while delivering nothing.Capt Amarinder listed the promises made in the election manifesto of the Akali Dal which included the “aata-daal” to poor, unemployment allowance to the educated unemployed youth, free laptop to students and round the clock electricity.“Show me whether you have fulfilled even one of these promises”, he dared the ruling alliance while referring to their profligate expenditure. He pointed out, when it comes to spending for welfare measures they say Punjab is poor and when it comes to their own luxuries they don’t mind buying a helicopter worth Rs 38 crores and foreign trips to South Africa, the United States, Europe and East Asia.
The former Chief Minister said, the Akalis have brought double whammy on the people of Punjab. On the one side they were not providing any facility to the people while on the other hand they had imposed backbreaking taxes. He reiterated the demand of the Congress Legislative Party Leader Sunil Jakhar seeking an emergency session of the state assembly on the imposition of the taxes.
The PCC President criticized the government for its failure to lift the paddy and wheat and the payment to farmers on time. He said, the Food Corporation of India provides money to the state government well in advance to be disbursed among the farmers. But the state government has been perting this money for other purposes with the result the farmers have to wait for their payment for days together and when it finally comes part of it goes to the inspectors and part of it goes to the jathedars.Reiterating his resolve to hold the Akali-BJP government in the dock, he said, he will ensure that they will have to account for each and every sin of their omission and commission. “They can’t cheat people into voting them to power first and then running away from the promises they made”, he asserted.CLP Leader Sunil Jakhar, Anandpur Sahib MP Ravneet Bittu and Chamkaur Sahib MLA Charanjit Singh Channi also spoke on the occasion. Among others present on the occasion included PCC vice presidents Laal Singh, Rana KP, former minister and Kharar MLA Jagmohan Singh Kang, Fateh Jang Bajwa, Ajit Singh Shant, Gobind Khatra, Major Amardeep, Karanpal Sekhon, Sonu Dhesi, Jagdeep Sidhu and others.