The Shiromani Akali Dal ridiculed the statement of the Punjab Congress Vice President Lal Singh on shortage of gunny bags in the Punjab mandis and termed it as false, misleading and aimed at getting cheap publicity.Reacting to the statement of Punjab Congress leader, the SAD Secretary and Spokesman Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema informed the Congress leader that the Punjab government has made elaborate arrangements for the current rabi season and it had placed an order for purchase of 1.61 lakh gunny bags worth Rs. 275 crore in advance with Jute Commissioner Calcutta much before the procurement season. He said that around 108 MT wheat was expected in the mandis and government had made arrangements for procurement of 115 lakh MT of wheat.He further said that it was surprising that the state Congress leaders were shedding crocodile tears on an issue for mismanagement of which Congress led UPA is directly responsible. He said that the whole nations is witness to the fact that the Centre government had even ignored the directive of the Honourable Supreme Court on the storing of grains in the country and its ill-planned policies were playing havoc with the lives of farmers and the common man.Dr. Cheema further said that instead of blaming the state government for a blunder of the Centre, they should approach the Congress led UPA government for early lifting of stocks from the state so that proper arrangement can be made for lifting of stocks from the mandis and their storage.The SAD leader advised the Congress leadership that before issuing such baseless and issue less statements they should get equipped with the facts and think positively in the interests of the farmers and other natives of the state.