Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday declared that the SAD president Sukhbir Badal’s arrogance will plunge his party into ignominy once again in these by-elections.
Challenging Sukhbir in his home constituency Jalalabad, Capt Amarinder said, “Sukhbir’s misconception that he has the people of Jalalabad in his pockets will soon be destroyed.”
The Chief Minister lashed out at Sukhbir over his criticism of State Government for pleading for the release of police personnel languishing in prisons for alleged human rights violations during the militancy period.
“Thousands of policemen died in the line of duty at that time to protect Punjab and the nation, and the actions of these personnel was motivated by the need to fight militancy,” he pointed out, adding that seeking their release on humanitarian grounds was in line with Guru Nanak’s philosophy of compassion and benevolence.
“But you can’t expect Sukhbir to understand compassion or humanitarianism,” he quipped, adding that the Akalis only paid lip service to the values of Sikhism and its Gurus.
Asserting his unequivocal confidence in Awla, the Chief Minister said that he would ensure that every promise made to the people by the candidate is fulfilled.
Amarinder, addressing the crowds that had gathered at Uddham Singh Chowk, said that the entire party was working hard to ensure a landslide win for the Congress candidates in all the upcoming bypolls.
On the issue of joint celebration of the 550th prakash purb of Guru Nanak Dev, the Chief Minister pointed out that Punjab Government had already made it clear that it would hold its main events at Sultanpur Lodhi under the aegis of the Akal Takth and had no problem with SGPC staging its other programmes within gurdwara premises.
“If the SGPC does not want to follow the Akal Takth, let them say so,” he challenged, making it clear that he was not in favour of abuse of religion for political gains.
To a question on the Kartarpur Corridor inaugural programme, the Chief Minister dismissed Akali claims saying that the programme was not being worked out by SAD but by the Central Government, which was in talks with Pakistan. The Corridor was a Centre’s project and the Akalis had no say in the matter, he added.
Capt also rejected the allegations of eligible farmers being left out of the Punjab Government’s debt relief scheme, saying that incomplete paperwork had caused some to be excluded but their farm loans would also be waived off once the papers are sorted out.
PUNJAB MINISTER SODHI FACES EMBARASSMENT
Punjab Sports and Youth Services Minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi was left red-faced publically on Wednesday after he was asked to alight from one of the vehicles in the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s convoy and asked to come in his own vehicle.
Sodhi was even heard saying that he would not come for the Chief Minister’s roadshow if his vehicle was not allowed to be part of convoy.
The incident took place ahead the Chief Minister’s road show in support of Congress’ Jalalabad Assembly by-election candidate Raminder Awla. Capt Amarinder had arrived in a helicopter at Mohlan village in Lambi area, from where he had to visit the constituency by road.
As the convoy started from the village, Sodhi, who was sitting in the SUV immediately ahead of the Chief Minister’s vehicle, was made to alight from the vehicle. Chief Minister’s security adviser Khubi Ram asked Sodhi to come in his own vehicle up to the bus.
Visibly unhappy, Sodhi asked him to allow his vehicle to be the par of the convoy or “I will not go”. Also present, Gidderbaha MLA and Chief Minister’s Adviser Raja Amarinder Singh Warring expressed his unhappiness over the incident. “This is very bad, Khubi Ram ji,” he was heard saying.
After brief altercation, Sodhi’s private vehicle was allowed to be part of the convoy.
Later, Amarinder refused the allegations that Sodhi was not allowed to sit in a vehicle that was part of the convoy, saying that he was travelling in another vehicle as he was the in-charge of an area in Jalalabad.