Opposition in Punjab Assembly, Congress, is still not seeing eye-to-eye with the Badals on the issue of Sangat Darshan.
Congress on Wednesday made it clear that the party was against giving monetary benefits to the people during such darshans, and termed it as “failure of the Government’s administrative system”.
Raised by the Congress MlA from Gidderbaha, Raja Amarinder Singh Warring during the zero hour blaming the state machinery for spending people’s money in crores to hold the Sangat Darshan, the issue took an ugly turn when the two sides entered into heated exchange of words but timely intervention of the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, saved it from becoming uglier. The verbal combat was witnessed between Warring and the SAD leaders including Cabinet Minister Bikram Majithia, Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Virsa Singh Valtoha, Amarpal Singh Boni — somewhat similar to what the assembly had once witnessed between Majithia and Congress MlA Rana Gurjit.
BADAl DEFENDS
Stepping in, Badal defended that the Sangat Darshan programme is a flagship programme through which he tries to communicate with the people and get to know the “real problems” they are facing. “This programme is not for the Akalis, but for every citizen of the state…irrespective of person’s affiliation to any political party, whether Congress or Akali or BJP, I am here to distribute grants,” said Badal, adding that he was the “halqa in-charge of Punjab”.
He went on to say that he would spare one entire day for holding a sangat darshan for Congressmen only, if they permit so. Badal pointed out that the maximum grants in sangat darshan programmes was distributed in the constituency of Congress’ state president Partap Singh Bajwa…”in fact, Mrs Bajwa (Congress MlA from Qadian Charanjit Kaur Bajwa) has written me a letter to thanks me for holding this programme in her constituency…Mrs (Karan Kaur) Brar also came during my all sangat darshans in villages of her constituency and listened to her grievances”.
The Chief Minister added that to ensure proper utilization, the grants were given to the deputy commissioner concerned who further give it to the panchayat or the department concerned for carrying out the work the grant was sanctioned for.
‘Shows failure of administrative system’
Not happy with the Chief Minister’s contentions, leader of Opposition, Sunil Jakhar maintained that organizing such programmes indicate the failure of the state government’s administrative system. Citing Badal’s statement made in 2012, Jakhar said that he had indicated that sangat darshan programmes would be discontinued as there would be no need for it after bringing certain administrative reforms and preparing comprehensive plans for development.
“Then this proves the failure of administrative system…failure of the government. What is the result of sangat darshans…this is the big question. What is the need for the Chief Minister to do the work of patwaris,” questioned Jakhar. Pointing out that works for which funds were provided in the past had never been started, Jakhar demanded that at least ensure the utilization of all these grants which were being distributed. “Do meet the people…listen to their grievances…but don’t distribute grants. let it be done by those whose work it is,” he added.