Punjab needs NDA govt for security, economic revival: Amarinder
Darpan News Desk IANS, 09 Feb, 2022 11:56 AM
Patiala, Feb 9 (IANS) Punjab Lok Congress President Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said the state needed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government for security as well as economic revival.
He also criticized the Congress party's decision to nominate Charanjit Singh Channi as the Chief Ministerial candidate despite serious allegations of corruption after seizure of Rs 10 crore from the possession of his nephew.
Addressing a function organized by the District Bar Association here, two-time Chief Minister Capt Amarinder said India faced grave security challenges from the 'China-Pakistan-Taliban' nexus.
"The challenge will be greater for Punjab for being at the forefront with a 600-km long border," he said, while adding, "We need a government that will take the security challenge seriously and work in close coordination with the Central government."
He gave details of the highly sophisticated drones being used by Pakistan to smuggle weapons, drugs and counterfeit currency to this side of the border. He criticized Chief Minister Channi for "senseless" opposition to the extension of the operational jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF), which was the need of the hour.
Referring to the economic situation prevailing in the state, Amarinder Singh said, while the GDP of Punjab was Rs 5.25 lakh crore, 70 per cent of it was borrowed. He said it is a humongous task to come out of this debt trap, which cannot be possible without cooperation and support from the Central government.
The former Chief Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre was going to be there, at least, for another seven years. "We must have a government in Punjab that will work with him as that is the only way out," he added.
Capt Amarinder's fledgling Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) is contesting the polls in alliance with the BJP and SAD (Sanyukt), an Akali Dal rebel.
He is contesting from his bastion Patiala (Urban), the seat that he has won for four consecutive terms since 2002 when he first contested.
In 2017, Capt Amarinder, 80, polled 72,217 votes against nearest rival Balbir Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party, who got just 19,852. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate and former Army chief Gen J.J. Singh (retd) got just 11,613 votes. Gen Singh is now with the BJP.
Punjab will go to the polls for the 117 Assembly seats on February 20.
The problems in the Punjab Congress seem to be far from over as the Channi government is being constantly cornered by its own state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and the top leadership has failed to evolve a consensus among the warring factions.
The arrested man has been identified as Yudhvir Singh of Jandiala Guru in Amritsar. He was a proclaimed offender and wanted in various NDPS cases. The police also recovered a high-end car from the accused.
In a major decision to regularise the services of nearly 36,000 employees ahead of the Assembly elections, the Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Punjab Protection and Regularisation of Contractual Employees Bill, 2021 to be introduced in the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha session for enactment.
The Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday accepted the resignation of Advocate General A.P.S. Deol -- a decision that is seen in political circles as lessening the "friction" between Chief Minister Charanjit Channi and Congress state chief Navjot Sidhu.
To curb air pollution emitting from open fires in the national capital, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday announced to launch an anti-open burning campaign under which 550 teams from various departments will be deployed in the city to keep a check on burning in open spaces.
A two-time councilor from Jhilmil ward and an MLA from Shahdara, Shunty has been running the foundation since 25 years which provides free ambulance services for the poor.
