Chandigarh November 28 – Youth Akali Dal president Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia today expressed surprise over Captain Amarinder Singh’s “new found love for the people of Majha” and reminded him that the only ‘contribution’ of the Congress party to the brave people of Majha was the army assault on the holiest of our holy shrines, Sri Harmandar Sahib and persecution of the Sikh youth in the border areas.” In a statement here, Mr. Majithia said that unlike in Captain Amarinder Singh’s tenure, Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal’s policies and programmes had benefited the people of the entire, especially the youth. “The SAD-BJP government has given jobs to nearly one lakh Punjabi youth from all across the state, as against less than ten thousand jobs given during Amarinder’s regime. Similarly, Mr. Badal has brought premier blue chip companies to invest in Punjab unlike Capt Amarinder Singh’s hollow claims of mega projects worth Rs. one lakh crore even which was limited to issuing fake licenses worth Rs 40,000 crore to his crony, Mr. Kewal Dhillon. Where are those mega-projects?” asked Mr. Majithia.The YAD president also challenged the PPCC chief to name “even one development project that he had brought to Majha during his tenure as Chief Minister.” He asked the Congress leader to explain to the people of Majha why the Congress-led UPA government at the center had actually stopped the relief for border-belt. “Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal on the other hand not only took up their case with the government of India but also increased the compensation for farmers across the border fence from Rs. 2000 too Rs. 5000 per acre. Has Amarinder even once asked the center to announce a special package for the border areas, as demanded by Mr. Badal?“ Mr. Majithia asked, adding , “Captain Amarinder Singh comes to Majha only to seek votes. For five years, no one even saw his face in Majha or anywhere else in the state. ” Mr. Majithia also accused PPCC president Captain Amarinder Singh of speaking with a multi-forked tongue on Majha-Doaba and Malwa interests on development projects such as thermal plants. “In Chandigarh, he declares that the thermal plants would never come up. In Patiala and Bathinda, he tells the people of Malwa that these thermal plants were against their interests as they had to bear their costs and face environment problems though the power generated here will go to Doaba and Majha regions. In Gurdaspur and Amritsar, he tells people that setting these plants up in Malwa is act of discrimination against Majha,” asked Mr. Majithia in a statement here. The YAD president said that Captain Amarinder Singh should tell the people of Malwa why he was opposing development taking place in that region. “Please declare categorically that you are against thermal plants and Bathinda refinery being set up in Malwa. And also tell the people why you had actually opposed these very projects which you now consider a favour done to the people of Malwa.” Mr. Majithia also invited Captain Amarinder Singh to come and visit Goindwal Sahib Thermal Plant and see for himself development taking place all across the Majha belt. He said that the SAD-BJP government’s approach was comprehensive and covered the whole state. On the contrary, the Congress strategy was to fragment Punjab and set the people of one region up against the other. “It is a part of the old and nasty Congress strategy of ‘divide and rule’ . They have harmed Punjab and the country with this policy in the past. But we will not allow him to play this dangerous politics with the people fo Majha, Doaba and Malwa ,” said Mr. Majithia.
