The Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday came down heavily on the former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and said that the latter could not accomplish anything during his tenure and has now joined hands with the BJP, which is inimical to the interests of Punjab, to aspire for power. He further said that Captain Amarinder Singh and Sukhbir Singh Badal are befooling the people of Punjab whereas the reality is that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), BJP and Captain Amarinder Singh have together formed a triarchy.Addressing a huge gathering at the grain market here, the Chief Minister said that the SAD indulged in open loot of the State and it is due to the dictatorial manner of the Badal family and Majithia that SAD has been reduced to the sidelines. “As long as Sukhbir and Majithia are in the Akali Dal the party cannot regain its lost ground”, said Channi adding that the fleet of buses, acquired by looting the hard earned money of common man, owned by the akali leaders are now rotting the police stations. The Chief Minister also said that the sacrilege cases are being pursued vigorously and no person who is responsible would be allowed to go scot free and neither would the drug peddlers be.Castigating Arvind Kejriwal, Channi said that the outsiders from Delhi are out to capture Punjab as if it is a common land for anybody’s taking. He further said that only the people of Punjab would rule the state and it is their overpowering love that wherever he goes the people come in hordes to meet him whereas the rallies of Kejriwal and SAD are always flopshows.
Further attacking Kejriwal, the Chief Minister divulged that the AAP Supremo makes tall claims whenever he comes to Punjab but the truth is that he is totally ignorant about the ethos, culture or the issues of the State and what Punjab stands for. The people would not tolerate such para-shoot leaders.Making an emotional connect with the people, Channi said that during the past 2 months, the state has been through a radical transformation and he has resolved the issues being by the masses, which he himself faced earlier.Saluting the farmers agitation, the Chief Minister said that more than 700 farmers were martyred during the course of the long struggle however Modi had to swallow his pride and the black farm laws were annulled.Promising to adopt no holds barred approach for the development of Payal constituency, Channi said that he is burning midnight oil to ensure the same. He assured that the new permits pertaining to the bus routes would be given to the youth.Listing the achievements of his government, the Chief Minister said that power arrears worth Rs. 1500 crore of the consumers having load up to 2 Kw have been waived besides reducing the power tariff by Rs. 3 and also causing the reduction in petrol prices besides the bills of water motors in rural areas. The next power bills would come with reduced rates.Aiming at the overall development of Payal, the Chief Minister announced Rs. 13 crore for the sewerage at Doraha, Rs. 2 crore each for Payal and Maloud, Facility of Post Mortem at Civil Hospital Payal, Rs. 40 lakh for drainage of polluted water, Special maintenance of Payal-Bija road, Grant for shed at Payal grain market and re-instating the bus route from Amritsar to Chandigarh via Payal till Chintpurni. He also vowed that no stone would be left unturned for ensuring the prosperity of this region which produced leaders such as late Chief Minister Beant Singh who made sacrifice for the sake of peace in Punjab.
In his address on the occasion, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal as long as the people of Punjab are not satisfied the Congress party would not rest. Lauding MLA Lakhvir Singh Lakha, the Finance Minister said that the legislator has worked hard for the development of the constituency.In his speech, the Cabinet Minister Gurkirat Singh Kotli said that owing to the historic decisions of the State Government, Punjab is marching ahead on the road to progress. “Punjab is a border state which is surrounded by the forces inimical to it. Earlier, terrorism pushed into the dark ages but the sacrifices of the Congress established peace”, said the Industries Minister adding Sukhbir Badal had announced about installing a Dalit Deputy Chief Minister but they are unable to see beyond their family. The AAP also made no bones about promising a Dalit Deputy Chief Minister however the Congress party has taken the lead in this regard and stolen the thunder. Now, the opposition is sans any agenda.The MP (Fatehgarh Sahib) Dr. Amar Singh said that the farmers and the labourers have caused the Modi dispensation to blink on the issue of farm laws. He further added that the Chief Minister has won the trust of the people who await his each visit with bated breath. “This constituency is the bastion of the Congress with victory of the party a foregone conclusion”, said Dr. Amar Singh.The MLA Lakhvir Singh Lakha said that the Congress is in a position of strength in Payal constituency since 1967. Lauding the Chief Minister, he mentioned that the people have got such a CM in Charanjit Singh Channi who feels the pulse of the common man. He also added that development works worth crores have been undertaken in the constituency with many in the pipeline.On this occasion, he also distributed letters to beneficiaries of various welfare schemes.Among others present on the occasion included the ex-Cabinet Minister Tej Prakash Singh Kotli, MLA Rakesh Pandey, Amrik Singh Dhillon, and Chairman Zila Parishad Yadwinder Singh Jandali.