Sunil Jakhar, leader of Opposition, Punjab, says SAD-BJP Government is indulging in vindictive politics in the general election 2014. The 60-year-old leader, who is also contesting as Congress candidate from Ferozepur lok Sabha constituency, also blamed the Akalis, for using muscle power in the polls.Jakhar, who is a MlA from Abohar, said that the sitting MP from Ferozepur has failed the people of the constituency on many counts. Excerpts.
What are the key issues that you have been raising during your campaignIJ
People of Ferozepur want development, which only Congress can provide if they form the Government at the Centre. Trade with Pakistan, through the Hussainiwala border, which was on its peak in 1971, needs to be revived to encourage business in the area. It’s high-time that industries are brought to this place, providing employment to the local people. Buddha nullah, a seasonal water stream, which runs through the Malwa region of Punjab after crossing ludhiana, needs to be cleaned. A sum of `2,100 crore was sanctioned for the project but still there has been no progress.
You seem to be focussing only on local issues, are you afraid of the fact that raising national issues may mar your campaign due to the anti-incumbency wave in the CentreIJ
I refuse to admit that there is any anti-incumbency wave against the Congress party. People are least bothered about national issues because all they care about is development at the local level. We have tried to raise issues of national level and concern, by putting them in local context, which was rejected by the people and hence, we changed our strategy.
Time and again you have been raising the issue of poor law and order situation in your constituency. Elaborate.
People here are fed up with the tyranny unleashed by the SAD-BJP Government. Most of the people, living in Ferozpur rural, Jalalabad and Balauna fear political goons. Akalis have stooped down to a level, where they are now using fear psychosis as a tool, by threatening people to not cast there vote in favour of the Congress party or else they would register false cases against them.
Have you met a single person who has complained about such threat, used by the SAD-BJP leadersIJ
Yes. During a public meeting, in Ferozepur rural, around 25 per cent of the people who were present there complained to me about the highhandedness of the SAD-BJP leaders. Some of them said that they were being implicated in false charges and few even complained to have spent two or three days in jail. In Ferozepur urban, people from Malout requested me to stop asking for votes, because the Akalis might unleash their tyranny in the area. However, they assured me of unconditional support. The people of the State are well aware of the fact that the sand mafia is active here in connivance with the State Government. Having strong hold over most of the sand pits, they settle the prices of sand according to their will. Currently a single trolley of sand is priced at `10,000 to `13000, which were earlier available for as low as `1200 to `2000 .The mafia forcibly stops farmers from digging a pit in their own land without securing mafia’s permission. local police provide shelter to the mafia people.
Is there a Modi wave in this general election in PunjabIJ
There is no Modi wave in Punjab. On the other hand, Modi will only cast a negative impression here as he is perceived to cast adverse impact over the local economy. During the NDA regime, the Government at Centre reacted aggressively during the Kargil War and slogans like Aar Paar Ki ladai resonated in the air.
Same ideology is being propagated by Modi, which has raised fear among the minority community here. If Modi is voted to power than the export of basmati rice from this area to middle eastern countries will suffer a serious setback and the people of this area are entirely dependent upon the export of basmati rice.
What will you do, if you win these electionsIJ
I would try to revive the Indo-Pak trade at Hussainiwala border like earlier days.My second most important concern will be to set up industries with certain concessions being provided to the industrialists from Himachal Pradesh in order encourage them to set up their units in bordering areas, which in turn will generate huge employment opportunities.This bordering area spreading over a stretch of 160 km needs special train to connect Abohar with Delhi for a better future.
large area in south-western Punjab is solely dependent on the canal water for irrigation, and water from Buddha nullah enters various canals after Harike waterworks near Ferozepur.However, this water is highly polluted and it requires a massive cleaning drive. I will initiate a project which will clean this water to such an extent that it could be used for drinking purpose.
The Congress seems to be divided in these elections, as no senior leader has been seen campaigning for the party in different constituencies. Do you think there is a rift in the partyIJ
There is no rift among Congress leaders here, rather the whole Congress leadership is working as a single unit tied up and united against a common cause of overthrowing the SAD-BJP alliance, but it is the Akalis who are on run given their poor performance in the region.
Rai Sikhs in Ferozepur constituency, who are followers of Deras may be the major game changer in this elections. Are you going to get their supportIJ
There are large numbers of followers of Dera Sacha Sauda and Dera Beas here. It is up to them to support whichever party they want; however, we will be concentrating on the developmental issues and oppose the vindictive politics of the Opposition parties.