Dina Nagar, 4 October(Wishav Warta): Launching a scathing attack on the Akalis for their criticism of Captain Amarinder Singh, Punjab Congress chief and Gurdaspur Lok Sabha poll nominee Sunil Jakhar on Wednesday said the Chief Minister goes to the Centre to seek financial support, not as alms but as a matter of right for Punjab.
Addressing a series of worker meetings here, the PPCC president lashed out at the Badals for their destructive policies and their unwarranted criticism of the Chief Minister, who had launched a series of welfare initiatives for the people of the state in just six months, despite the financial crisis inherited by his government from the erstwhile SAD-BJP government.
The Congress nominee, who got a massive response, including from women, wherever he went, did not spare Sarwan Salaria, flaying the BJP candidate and his party for the personal attacks launched on him (Jakhar). Taking a dig at the opposition for tagging him an outsider, Jakhar said the day the people of Gurdaspur start saying that he speaks for them in the Lok Saba and start calling him `Our Jakhar’, he would have made his domicile in their hearts.
Hitting out at the Badals, Jakhar said while Sukhbir is not taken seriously by the people, Parkash Singh Badal had also lost all credibility with his senseless statements. He cited Badal Senior’s criticism of the Chief Minister for giving too little after first asserting that Captain Amarinder would fail to deliver on his farm loan waiver promise. He further pointed out that other states like U.P, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh etc had waived off farm loans after following the example of Punjab, negating Parkash Singh Badal’s baseless criticism of the Captain Amarinder government on the issue.
Pointing that Badal started talking of hike in pension in the last six months of his 10-year chief ministerial tenure, Jakhar said Captain Amarinder, on the other hand, had increased pension in the first six months of his government. He lauded Captain Amarinder for serving the people of Punjab without indulging in political vendetta and reminded the people that the Congress government had already undertaken several development works in Dina Nagar and other parts of the Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency, without letting the funds crunch derail the implementation of projects.
Jakhar took a dig at Sukhbir and Salaria for their failure to speak on the rape case against former minister Sucha Singh Langah and once again challenged both of them to debate him on any issue.
The PPCC president took on the Narendra Modi led central government, blaming it for the economic woes of the people, who had been burdened by increase in prices of essential commodities, as well as demonetisation and GST impact. “Where are the `acchhey din’ (good days) promises by Modi,” he asked, lamenting that the people would not be able to even celebrate Diwali properly because of the spiralling prices and the financial problems suffered due to the ill-conceived decisions of the Modi government.
At a meeting of the Gujjar Samaj, Jakhar lashed out at the NDA government at the Centre for marginalising and victimizing the minorities in the country in the name of cow protection and other issues. Responding to a demand of the people for a graveyard in the area, he observed that the Chief Minister had already announced a budget for the same.
Jakhar was accompanied by Education Minister Aruna Chaudhary, DCC president Ashok Chaudhary and several Congress MLAs, leaders, Sarpanches and others from the region.
