Questioning the ‘silence’ of his BJP rival Arun Jaitley on crucial issues concerning Punjab, Congress candidate Capt Amarinder Singh said he was trying to evade these issues deliberately.
Asking Jaitley to spell out his stand on the crucial Sutlej Yamuna link canal, Singh said, “You just can’t evade the issue by saying it is sub-judice as people of Punjab would like to know yours and your party’s opinion about it.”
“We will also like to know about your stand on inter-linking of rivers in Punjab,” the Congress leader asked in a statement.“We have had enough on developing Amritsar as a tourist centre, which for your kind information it already is, enough of developing it as a trade centre, generating employment and so on,” he said.
“In fact your colleague Navjot Singh Sidhu (present BJP sitting MP from Amritsar) knew it better but was not allowed to do anything,” he said.
Referring to generating employment, Amarinder said, “You probably don’t know that 18,700 industrial units shut down in Punjab during the last seven years while you were in power in alliance with the Akalis and will you please let us know whether you have some magic wand to waive it around and create investments and jobs.”
The former Chief Minister informed Jaitley that Punjab’s debt had already crossed Rs1 lakh crore and it was continuously multiplying.“Your Government is taking loans to pay interest on this debt and now the RBI has refused any further overdraft to the State resulting in delayed salaries and pensions by over three months,” he said.
“I hope you answer these questions rather than going on and on with the self-centred monologues that have become so characteristic of your style,” Singh said.Meanwhile, he condemned the reported attack on the party’s rural district office headquarters on Monday and warned against vitiating peaceful atmosphere.“It was an act of sheer cowardice aimed at scaring our workers who bravely and courageously tried to confront the attackers who fled after firing the gunshots,” he said.
Drug problem is a reality, says Jaitley
Amritsar: BJP lok Sabha Candidate for Amritsar Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said problem of drugs was a reality in the State but blamed lack of vigilance on the international border for the influx.
Addressing a Press conference here along with the Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia, Jaitley said, “It is reality that drug issue exists in the State. This is due to absence of vigilance on international Border which is purely a central Government function,” he said.
Jaitley said another reason is increasing unemployment in among youth in Punjab.Talking about the role of Punjab police to get control over the drug trafficking, Jaitley added, “local police has role to extend support to stop such activities whereas principal responsibility is of Narcotics Control Bureau to stop it”.
Majithia who was sitting with Jaitley, said, “Punjab police has busted the synthetic drug racket, since drug was being manufactured in the neighboring State of Himachal Pradesh which is being run by Congress”
Arun Jaitley shifts to a new house
Amritsar: Amid ongoing row over purchase of a new house by Arun Jaitley in Amritsar, the veteran BJP leader and a contestant for lok Sabha election from the holy city, on Tuesday shifted to his new residence.Prayers were held to seek blessings of the Almighty as Jaitley moved into the new house in upscale Green Avenue locality.
Several Punjab BJP leaders, including Balramji Das Tandon, laxmi Kanta Chawla and State unit chief Kamal Sharma visited Jaitley’s house and congratulated him. The purchase of a new house by Jaitley has sparked a row with former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who is pitted against the BJP stalwart in Amritsar lok Sabha constituency, complaining to the Election Commission seeking inclusion of the cost of the house in election expenses.
Amarinder says Jaitley’s move is aimed at garnering support of the people who, according to him, have dubbed the BJP leader as an outsider. Jaitley had retorted saying the Congress leader should purchase a house across the border.