Amarinder attacks SAD-BJP over drug issue; says Punjab Cong united

Saturday, 24/01/2015

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/politics/amarinder-attacks-sad-bjp-over-drug-issue-says-punjab-cong-united/34015.html

Amritsar : Taking on the Punjab government on the drug menace issue, senior Congress leader and former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh today dared BJP president Amit Shah to withdraw support to SAD if he is sincere in dealing with drug problem in the state.

Holding an impressive rally here, the Amritsar MP played down reports regarding a "divided" Congress party in Punjab saying that the party was never so "united and strong", even as eyebrows were raised over state Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa being absent at the rally.

While lambasting Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for his "failure to curb drug menace" in the state, Amarinder accused Akalis of "promoting and peddling drugs" in Punjab.

He alleged that three senior leaders, including revenue minister Bikram Majithia and Sarwan Singh Philaur, were questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the drug racket.

"Although the scourge of drugs was the worst problem Punjab faced, there were other issues like unemployment, sliding economy, industrial and agriculture decline that had plagued the state," he said.

Lashing out at BJP for its alleged double standards for preaching one thing and practising something else, Amarinder said, "While BJP president Amit Shah was claiming to hold a rally against the drugs at Amritsar, his party was supporting the Akalis and its tainted ministers in the Vidhan Sabha."

Daring Shah, he said, "If you are really sincere about dealing with the problem of drugs, better withdraw your support to the Akalis who are neck deep into drugs".

He alleged not only in Punjab, even in Delhi BJP was aligning with Akalis despite claiming that "they were not happy with the alliance".

Amarinder urged the people to throw out the SAD-BJP regime in 2017 Assembly elections, saying that it was the beginning of "the final and decisive battle" against them.

Bajwa, whose removal from his post was purportedly sought by Amarinder from Congress President Sonia Gandhi this month, was conspicuous by his absence in the rally.

Besides Bajwa, former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal was also not present.

Congress leaders, including Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha Sunil Jakhar, former Union ministers Manish Tewari, Preneet Kaur, former PCC presidents Mohinder Singh Kaypee and Lal Singh were present on this occasion.Further attacking Shah, the former Punjab CM accused the BJP president of running away from holding a rally in Amritsar after the Congress announced to hold one the same day.

He said while the BJP claimed that the Amritsar rally was postponed because of Shah being busy in Delhi elections, he was actually going around in Bihar. "Their lies have been exposed," he claimed.

BJP had postponed Shah's January 22 rally in view of announcement of Delhi assembly election dates.

During an interaction with media, Amarinder rejected the assertions that Congress was divided in Punjab.

"How can you say the Congress is divided when 35 of the 43 MLAs and over 60 ex-MLAs, former PCC presidents and Union ministers attended today's rally?" he asked, while asserting, "Congress was never so much united and strong as it proved to be today".

In the rally, out of 43 Congress MLAs in Punjab, 35 MLAs attended the rally and prominent among whom were Rana Gurjeet Singh, O P Soni, Sukh Sarkaria , Raj Kumar Verka, Tript Bajwa, Kewal Dhillon, Rana Gurmeet Sodhi, Gurkirat Singh Kotli and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.

Meanwhile, commenting on the Chief Minister holding 'Sangat Darshan' programmes, Amarinder said that there was no use to hold such functions, stating that Badal should sincerely focus on problem of drug addiction among youth in Punjab as youth are falling prey to the menace.

On the issue of changes in Land Acquisition Act, Amarinder said that these had been introduced "to please industrialists, big companies and capitalists, but these were against the farmers".

"Under this Act, agriculture land of farmers could be snatched at throw away prices at anytime without giving them sufficient notice period. Badal should have raised this issue but he maintained silence, for reasons best known to him," he said.