JAGARAON/RAIKOTE, January 20: Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Capt Amarinder Singh today said that the Akalis had divided Punjab purely for sectarian purpose and they were yet to overcome that sectarian mindset. He said, they had never thought about Punjab but their own narrow and vested interests which was the reason for Punjab going down to 19th place from number one place in over all development.
Addressing a largely attended public rally here today in support of the party candidates Isher Singh Meharban from Jagaraon and Gurcharan Singh from Raikote, Capt Amarinder also announced that once Congress comes to power the farmers’ crops will be insured. Besides, he added, the poor will get aata for Re one per kg as part of the National Food Security Act already having been approved by the union cabinet which will later be introduced in the parliament.
The PCC President said that the Akalis launched the Punjabi Suba movement only to ensure that they could be in a majority so that they could form a government of their own and in the process they gave up their precious resources like rivers, tourist spots and the industrial belt to Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. He said, if Punjab is going down and down it is only and only because of the narrow vision of the Akalis who have sacrificed and slashed Punjab to serve their narrow personal interests.
The PCC President said, Punjab was at the verge of bankruptcy as the debt was accumulating and there were no resources available. He said, industry was moving out and agriculture was also on the decline. He said, due to the shrinking land holdings agriculture needs to be innovative.
He pointed out, during his previous term he had introduced the farm to fork concept and roped in the Reliance Group which would help farmers to diversify to vegetable growing. Since the Akalis thought it was a god project and farmers will be happy about it, they abandoned it lest the Congress got benefitted. He said, this is the Akali tradition of sacrificing general and public interest for their own vested interest.
Making an impassioned appeal to people to vote for Congress, he said, it is the question of future of Punjab and the future generations. “The choice is yours and you must make the right choice and vote Congress to power to save Punjab and save its future”, he appealed to them while warning, “otherwise you run the risk of pushing Punjab into chaos and bankruptcy”.
National Spokesperson of the Congress and Ludhiana MP Manish Tewari was also present on the occasion.
