Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday asked Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to assert the State’s complete claim over Chandigarh with the Central Government.
“Don’t rest on self-laurels over Punjab Governor being reappointed Chandigarh administrator and instead assert the State’s complete claim over Chandigarh, with the Central Government,” said the former Chief Minister over Centre’s recent U-turn by first appointing a separate Administrator for UT Chandigarh and later continuing with the present set up of Punjab Governor handling the charge of UT Governor after Badal took up the matter with the Centre.
“The way Badal is reacting over the Central Government’s decision to reverse the appointment of separate Administrator seems he has completely forgotten that Chandigarh actually and completely belongs to Punjab,” he told reporters during the sidelines of his ‘Halqe vich Captain’ programme.
He said that there cannot be a better and more conducive situation for Badal as there is an NDA Government at the Centre of which the Akalis are partners and a friendly BJP Government in Haryana. “If he does not get it done now, it means he was never serious about Punjab’s claims over Chandigarh,” he remarked.
Asked to comment on Badal’s statement that 2017 election will be the fight between pro and anti-Punjab forces, Capt Amarinder remarked, “There cannot be a greater enemy of Punjab than Badal”.
He said that the way Badals had looted and robbed the State for 10 years qualifies them for the title of being the enemy number one of Punjab.
Capt Amarinder also asked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to explain the charges of his NGO ‘Parivartan’ having been funded by the Ford Foundation and the CIA.
Referring to his association with the Ford Foundation and the allegation of his NGO being funded by the CIA, Capt Amaridner said: “Kejriwal was never serious about anything as when he was working in the central services he never attended his office and instead ran an NGO which was funded by the Ford Foundation and the CIA and when he became CM of Delhi, he never got serious about it either and instead started straying and loitering around other States like Punjab and Goa.
He said that AAP’s graph had already gone down with senior leaders revealing as how they were asked to pay Rs 50 lakhs for the party tickets. He asked as why the AAP did not trust Punjab leaders including its State convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur who was being ignored and sidelined during the ticket distribution process.
About estranged BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu’s possibility of joining the Congress, Capt Amarinder said that he was always welcome. “Sidhu has Congress DNA in him and he will always be better off in the Congress than any other party”, he said, while accusing the AAP and its leaders of ditching and cheating him.
Condemning Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal’s dismissive and scornful reaction to his bus killing father-son duo in an accident in ludhiana on Thursday, Capt Amarinder said that this was extreme arrogance which will soon come to an end.
He also announced that he will put an end to the “transport terrorism” of the Badals.
He reiterated that all the extra route permits will be distributed among the deserving unemployed youth who will also be provided financial help to buy buses. He said, he will finish the Badals’ monopoly on all the businesses whether transport, cable, sand mining and liquor trade.