Hit by Congress MLA Pargat Singh’s letter bomb citing “Government’s failures”, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday held a detailed discussion with the sportsperson-turned-politician who made it clear that the party had to perform else it would perish in the State.
The former Indian hockey team captain, Pargat Singh maintained that he had healthy discussion with the Chief Minister during which he asked him to break free from the “perception” that the top Congress leadership has joined hands with the Badals.
“I have told him that people have high expectation from you and they voted for Congress in Capt Amarinder’s name as they have your image that of Capt Amarinder of 1984 when he resigned as MP in protest against Operation Bluestar, of 2005 when you cancelled all water agreements. I told him that he lead the state on a positive path by resolving cases like PPSC scam…so people have expectation from you and we must come up to that,” said the Olympian after the meeting.
In a word of caution to the Chief Minister, Pargat Singh said that if Congress failed to perform, the Hitler policy, that is being seen across the country presently, is ready to come to Punjab also which would ruin the State, and we have to save it from that.
“Being a sportsman, I have to always feel that we should do what we can, and if we cannot do something which we can do, it is our weakness. So we have to deal with it…No one can stop us from fulfilling our promises,” he said while stressing that the Government should save every single penny for the State.
Notably, Pargat Singh had shot off a communiqué to the Chief Minister some two months back but the letter became public only few days back. Pargat Singh has reportedly also
In his letter, Pargat Singh had questioned the State Government’s working and the alleged cover-up of major corruption cases, including the multi-crore irrigation scam.
The MLA had pointed out that the party promised to address issues of corruption and drug menace in the State but failed to fulfil promises even after three years of its tenure. He noted that major cases of corruption were collapsing and raised concern over sand and liquor mafia. He also mentioned the Bargari sacrilege case.
He also advised the Punjab Government to take steps to plug revenue leakages that started during the previous Badal regime, besides laying emphasis on the need for fresh round of thinking on corporation for sand and liquor.
Considered close to former Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, Pargat Singh is the latest addition in the list of several party leader and MLAs to speak against their own government.
Earlier, Congress leaders, including MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu, MLA Surjit Dhiman, MLA Randeep Singh Nabha, MLA Nirmal Singh, and MLA Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa, among others, gone public against the government’s functioning.