changing social courtesies does not mean cessation of political rivalries

Sunday, 16/10/2011

Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Capt Amarinder Singh today asserted that exchanging social courtesies with the political rivals did not mean cessation of the strong differences with them. Replying to a question about his sharing dais with the Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal recently in Chandigarh, he remarked, certain social occasions require certain courtesies which need to be observed and the matter ends there.

Interacting with reporters along the sidelines of a seminar on Maharishi Valmiki here today, Capt Amarinder made it clear that his views about the Badals and their government had not changed and these were the same as ever. He said, the Akali-BJP government was the most corrupt government in the history of Punjab and he had mentioned it very much in the same address, there and then only, where he gave details as how they institutionalised corruption and how many mafias they were running. He said, the Deputy Chief Minister had no answer to these charges.

The PCC President reiterated that the fight between the Congress and the Akalis will be taken to its logical conclusion when the Akalis would be defeated and each and every Akali who victimised and intimidated the Congress workers, from the junior most jathedar to the senior most leader, will be brought to the book.

“Do you think I can ever forget the victimisation of my party workers and about 50 thousand false cases slapped on them?” he asked in response to a question, while adding, he had told his workers till the time Congress forms the government they must take lathis in their hands to defend themselves from the Akali goons.

Responding to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s statement that if Congress had any doubts about the MOUs signed with various power companies it could go to the court, Capt Amarinder asserted, “why should we go to the court...it is a matter of three months only and let us form the government we will first scrap these projects and then may even ask for CBI inquiry to find out the truth”.

Later addressing the seminar, the former Chief Minister said, Maharishi Valmiki Ji’s contribution to the human civilisation was immense. He pointed out, every morning millions and millions of people begin their day reciting the holy Ramayana written by him.

Capt Amarinder said, keeping in view the importance of his teachings, his government, between 2002 and 2007, had set up the Maharishi Valmiki Chair at Punjabi University Patiala which was abolished by the Akalis. He promised, once Congress comes to power after elections the chair will be restored so that research and translations of Maharishi’s teachings can be done extensively for the benefit of entire humanity.

The PCC President promised that once Congress forms the government, it will scrap the contractual system of appointment of the safai-karamcharis in various corporations and local bodies in the state.

Earlier Capt Amarinder paid glowing tributes to Baba Bandha Singh Bahadur at a function organised at village Raqba by KK Bawa.

Prominent among those present on the occasion included PCC vice president Chaudhary Jagjit, general secretary Arvind Khanna, Chaudhary Santokh, Jassi Khangura, Pawan Dewan and others.