Punjab BJP chief Vijay Sampla on Saturday accused the Congress Government in the State of failing to spend Rs 115 crore meant for Scheduled Caste students under a scholarship scheme.
The Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment charged the Punjab Government with spending the funds for post matric scholarship scheme on something else.
“Eight months have passed since a sum of Rs 115 crore had been released to the Punjab Government by the Centre for the post matric SC scholarship scheme. Our officials have been reminding the concerned officials in the State Government to distribute money and send us the utilisation certificates so that the next instalment can be sent,” Sampla told reporters.
“Not even a single penny has been distributed under this scheme by the Punjab Government yet,” he said.
Sampla said when his Ministry asked the State officials what happened to the money, “they say verification is being done”. “As a result of it, the social discrimination of the Dalit student has been rising,” he claimed.
Sampla said he himself called up the concerned officials about the spending of the grant. “It appears that they (State Government) used Rs 115 crore in some other accounts.
Sampla also alleged that the Congress Government was “oppressing” its political opponents ahead of the Municipal Council polls.
He claimed false cases have been filed against members of Opposition parties at the behest of the ruling party members.
The Punjab BJP chief urged people to vote for SAD-BJP candidates in the local body polls in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala and other areas on December 17.
He also cornered the Punjab government that has completed nine months in power, asking Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to list nine poll promises he had fulfilled during the period.
“Amarinder Singh made big pre-poll promises to farmers, youths, Dalits, traders, elderly, women, backward classes, Government employees, and urban-rural voters — the nine major sections of society during Punjab assembly elections. Now, he should tell which of those he fulfilledIJ” Sampla, said.
He claimed that every section of society in Punjab was feeling betrayed, especially farmers.
“This is the reason why 343 farmers have ended their lives since he took over as Chief Minister on March 16.
Some even have held the Amarinder Singh Government responsible for their fate,” the BJP leader alleged.
listing what he called “unfulfilled” promises made by the Congress ahead of the February 4 Assembly polls, Sampla said these included total loan waivers for farmers, ban on forcible takeover of land of farmers unable to pay back bank loans, Government job for each family, Rs 2,500 unemployment allowance for jobless, smartphones for youths, house for homeless Dalits, eradicating drug menace within a month, increasing pensions of elderly and women to Rs 1,500 and electricity at Rs 5 per unit for Punjab industry.
The Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment urged people not to fall in the trap of “false promises” of the Congress and vote accordingly in the December 17 municipal elections in Punjab.