Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal on Tuesday cautioned the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) not to play with the sentiments of people of Punjab on crucial Satluj-Yamuna link (SYl) canal issue which is a lifeline for them.
He appealed to the people not to fall into the trap of AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal as he has been proven as an enemy of Punjabis on the contentious matter.
Sukhbir, addressing a gathering on the occasion of distributing health insurance cards to traders under Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Bima Yojna, said that on one hand, Kejriwal is professing to be championing the cause of Punjab farmers while in Punjab, while stabbing them in the back by changing his tune favouring Haryana on reaching Delhi.
Further castigating AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister, Sukhbir said that how would Kejriwal explain the fat salaries, red beacons atop their vehicles and other facilities enjoyed by his party MlAs whereas earlier he had sworn not to avail such amenities.
He also said that sensible people of Punjab won’t fall into Kejriwal’s trap because they very well know who is their true well-wisher and who is a bluffer.
Questioning the credentials of the Congress party, Sukhbir said that Congress is day dreaming about returning to power but its principal face in the state and PPCC president Capt Amarinder Singh is not accessible to the people of his constituency.
“Congress is indulging in playing dirty game of blaming SAD-BJP Government because it has got no developmental issue to raise before the public,” he said while lambasting the Congress for branding entire youth of Punjab as drug addicts.
On the issue of foodgrains procurement, Sukhbir clarified that accounts have not been reconciled since 1997, so there is only somewhat mismatching of accounts and there is no laxity on the part of the State Government.
“The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) would soon release cash credit limit to the state as Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has recently held a special meeting with the Prime Minister,” he said.
Elaborating the welfare schemes for the traders community, Sukhbir said that Punjab government has become number one state in the country to provide best policies and inspector-free business environment to the dealers of the State.
“Schemes like traders’ health insurance, Rahat and star rating scheme have not only developed business friendly atmosphere but also provided needed security to the traders,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment and Punjab BJP president Vijay Sampla said that the amount of developmental works undertaken by the SAD-BJP government would remain unparalleled in the annals of Punjab.
He also expressed hope that the people of the state would again express confidence in the leadership of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and elect him to power for the record sixth time.