Farmers, drugs figure in PDA’s common minimum programme Bhagwant dares Sukhbir to contest from Sangrur

Sunday, 31/03/2019

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CHANDIGARH : The Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA) on Saturday announced the common minimum programme (CMP) for the Lok Sabha polls. The PDA comprises Sukhpal Khaira’s Punjabi Ekta Party, Bains Brothers’ Lok Insaaf Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Patiala MP Dharamvir Gandhi’s Punjab Manch, Communist Party of India (CPI) and Revolution Marxist Party of India.

The key issues taken up in the PDA’s common programme include revision of the concurrent list of Centre-state relations, fighting for the Punjab’s ownership of waters and control of the head-works as per the Riparian principles and Article 262 of the Constitution, restoring the status of Punjabi language, Punjabi speaking areas and claim over capital Chandigarh.

Addressing a press conference here, PDA leaders Sukhpal Khaira and Simarjeet Singh Bains said the PDA gives an alternative to different sections of society in Punjab, including farmers, labourers, Dalits, backward castes, and small traders, who are suffering due to policies of successive governments at the state and the Centre.

The alliance has also pledged support to demand for complete loan waiver to farmers and agricultural workers, and implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission.

The common minimum programme also underlines making employment as a fundamental right. To address the problem, the PDA will make efforts to make agriculture profitable, develop industries in urban areas, eliminate contractual system on the basis of the principle of equal pay for equal work and encourage self-employment.

Emphasising the need to have a rethink on the NDPS Act. “Thousands of drug addicts are in jails while the drug lords are wandering free because they enjoy political patronage. Jails are overcrowded and have become dens of crime. The alliance demands to consider addicts as patients and extend them free medical treatment, and deal firmly with the drug mafia,” reads the common programme.

The Punjab Democratic Alliance has also promised enacting laws so that land can be allotted to Dalits for houses from the common village land, and, in case there was no common land, the government should acquire the same. SANGRUR:: Aam Aadmi Party state chief Bhagwant Mann has dared Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal to contest against him from Sangrur. Mann, who is a sitting member of Parliament from Sangrur, said they both (he and Sukhbir) are chiefs of their respective parties and “the fight will tell the world who is the mass leader”.

“Veteran Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa has already refused to contest from Sangrur and his son Parminder does not want to fight Lok Sabha elections either. But, Sukhbir is fielding Dhindsa Jr against his will,” said Mann while talking to mediapersons at his election office here.

“The Badal family is criticising me at every platform. Sukhbir Badal challenged me to contest from Bathinda against his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal. However, I dare Sukhbir to contest against me from Sangrur. We both are party heads and the election result will tell the world who is their favourite leader,” he said.

Lashing out at Youth Akali Dal (YAD) chief and former cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia’s remark that Bhagwant Mann cannot shun ‘drinking’, the AAP MP said, “God knows that I have quit alcohol and don’t need a certificate from the YAD chief.”

“I warn the people of Sangrur constituency that if Majithia is seen in the area, they should save their children from drugs,” said Mann.

On the Akali Dal allegations that AAP may merge with the Congress, he said, “It was misread. The country is first, increasing number of MPs is not our aim; we want to change Indian politics.”

Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia had on Friday said Bhagwant Mann should clear confusion over the issue whether the AAP is going to merge with the Congress in the coming days.

He had said that Mann’s recent statement that they can even dissolve their party to defeat the National Democratic Alliance indicates that AAP can merge with the Congress.