BJP trying to destroy our diversity, says Amarinder
Monday, 22/04/2019
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CHANDIGARH: Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday lashed out at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying it was trying to destroy India’s diversity. He denied being soft on the Badals, saying nobody will be spared if found guilty of a crime how big or small it may be.
Sitting under a ‘peepal’ tree at Chuahr Majra village in Kharar, 20km from Chandigarh, Amarinder Singh took a wide range of questions received on Twitter and directly from people, who had come to take part in the #TwitterChaupal organised in association with @TwitterIndia. The #CaptainDiChaupal saw people from all walks of life and from areas as far as Ludhiana.
The chief minister expressed anger at the remarks of BJP candidate from Bhopal Sadhvi Pragya against a distinguished police officer late Hemant Karkare. “What Sadhvi said is totally unacceptable,” he said.
“Had I not been in politics, I would have been in the army and would have retired by now from there too,” said Amarinder, in response to a question tweeted by his young party colleague, Sachin Pilot. In response to a question on Twitter, Capt said he doesn’t have any aspirations to join national politics and always wanted to indulge only in Punjab politics.
Asked if he would contest the 2022 poll, Capt said, “I hope the ideal Punjab will be a reality by the time my current term ends and I will be able to hand over the reins to the younger generation, unless the state is in need of my services.”
ON DRUGS AND EMPLOYMENT
The CM agreed with a university student, who lamented the spread of drugs and the fact that youth were going abroad for jobs, adding, “my government is committed to generating jobs”.
“As industry comes, things will improve. In sharp contrast to the SAD-BJP government’s ₹25,000 crore of investment in 10 years, my government has succeeded in bringing in ₹65,000 crore worth projects, 75% of which has already been realised,” said Amarinder.
On the issue of drugs, Amarinder said his government, with the help of the STF, was enforcing the anti-drugs campaign strictly, and more than 28,000 drug peddlers have been arrested. “We are applying enforcement and treatment to eliminate the menace,” he said.
Smuggling of drugs into Punjab from regions as far as Kashmir and Gujarat has made the task difficult, but the police was working closely with their counterparts in other states to end to the problem, he said.
To a question on the status of the promised smart phones to the youth, the CM said a tender had already been floated for distribution of 3.5 lakh phones in the first phase and the process will commence after the polls.
Asked about the STF probe into the sacrilege cases following the EC orders to transfer IG Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, the CM said his government had approached the Election Commission of India for a review of its decision.
