Congress candidate and former Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the ruling SAD-BJP Government in Punjab, blaming it for ignoring the development of the State, spread of narcotic drugs abuse and worsening law and order situation.
In his first Press conference after arriving in the city on Friday, he said, “Amritsar is a historic city. I feel proud that (Congress President) Sonia has chosen me to contest from here,” adding, he was happy that he would be representing the holy city in Parliament.
Confident of winning the lok Sabha seat comfortably, the former scion of royal family of Patiala was accompanied by almost all the senior local leaders and several MlAs. He said the law and order situation in the State is “out of control” and warned that gundagardi (hooliganism) of Akali leaders will not be tolerated. To a question, Capt Amarinder said he was never reluctant to contest from the seat. He said this misinformation was being spread by BJP candidate Arun Jaitley.
Blaming the State Government for the spread of drug addiction, he said “Akali leaders are responsible for this…all those roaming around… Majithia and others”. He said 90 per cent women are widows in the Maqboolpura colony here as several people have died due to consumption of drugs. He blamed the State Government for flight of textiles, cycle and other industries from Punjab to other States.
Refusing to make any “offhand” comment on his plans for the city, Capt Amarinder said he would announce it after studying what has been done and what has been left of the 25-year plan he had unveiled for the city when he was the Chief Minister. He said the Navjot Singh Sidhu is a “good MP”, but he left the constituency because Akalis did not give him funds for the development of Amritsar.
Capt Amarinder also said the Congress will not allow the ruling alliance to arm twist people to vote in their favour. Stressing that UPA I and II Governments at the Centre, have always meet the demands of the State Governments, irrespective of the ruling parties there. He said Punjab asked for only four projects worth Rs 453 crore and could “matched the grant for half of it”. The former Chief Minister said his association with the city goes back to 1894 when his great grandfather was associated with Khalsa College. Capt Amarinder had been chancellor of the local Khalsa College.
To a question, he said Akalis led by Parkash Singh Badal and the BJP were as much responsible for the Operation Bluestar as the Congress. He agreed with a suggestion that a fact finding commission could be set up to reveal the actual truth about Operation Bluestar and involvement of people responsible for it.