Cong. slams Badal on performance, graft

By Sarabjit Pandher

MUKTSAR, JAN. 13. The Punjab unit of the Congress, which has already launched its election drive, today slammed the four-year- old Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance Government in the State for ``non-performance'' and allowing ``growth of corruption, lawlessness and nepotism''.

It also criticised the ruling combine for creating unnecessary panic among the farming community by spreading incomplete information regarding the WTO (World Trade Organisation) agreement.

Addressing a political conference, the president of the State unit of the party, Capt. Amarinder Singh, charged the Centre with proceeding to implement the recommendation of the Agriculture Prices Commission to reduce the Minimum Support Price of wheat by Rs. 60 per quintal.

Capt. Singh asked the Chief Minister to spell out the steps initiated by the State Government to check the increasing trend of suicides by farmers, which had been caused by the growing crisis of the agrarian economy. When 416 farmers committed suicide during the last year when the MSP was increased, what would happen when the same is reduced? he asked.

However, the former legislator, Mr. Gurnam Singh Abulkhurana, who mobilised the crowds for the party, said that the Badal administration resorted to various tactics to harass or prevent the Congress workers from reaching the venue.

The rally also remained controversial as the local MP, *Mr. Jagmeet Singh Brar, representing Faridkot constituency, stayed away. Talking to The Hindu over phone, he said he objected to the projection of the former Chief Minister, Mr. H.S. Brar, whom he accused of being part of the nexus of the feudals in the area, which he had sworn to break.

The former Union Minister, Mr. Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, at a separate conference, claimed that only his organisation, the Lok Bhalai Party, could provide the only viable third alternative. He said the present leadership of the Akali faction led by Mr. Badal and the Congress were two sides of the same coin.

At yet another not so impressive rally, the former SGPC chief, Mr. G.S. Tohra, said his party - the All India Shiromani Akali Dal - considered the Congress its top political enemy, which was followed by Mr. Badal and the BJP, respectively.

The chief of the SAD (Amritsar), Mr. Simranjit Singh Mann, who is an MP, while lambasting the Badal Government and the BJP-led NDA on various accounts, said that he could never trust Mr. Tohra, whose politics was beyond his comprehension.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Other States
Previous : Some coffee, some ink, some passion