A day after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention for amicable resolution of the Satluj Yamuna link (SYl) canal issue, Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said the party was ignorant and unaware of the legal and constitutional niceties.
“AAP is ignorant and unaware of the legal and constitutional niceties as after the SYl matter is referred to the Supreme Court by the President, the Prime Minister could hardly play any role,” said the former Chief Minister while interacting with the reporters along the sidelines of the ‘Halqe vich Captain’ programme.
He said the AAP instead of trying to stick to its ambiguous stand on the issue, should clearly and categorically come out in support of Punjab.
“When the matter is pending in the SC, how can the executive (the PM) interfereIJ” he asked, while adding that the Prime Minister and his party’s role otherwise also has been hostile towards Punjab on the SYl issue and it was naïve to expect any fair deal from him.
Capt Amarinder, however, held the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal squarely responsible for weakening Punjab’s case. He criticised the BJP-led Central Government for taking Haryana’s side instead of being neutral.
The PPCC president said he was not in touch with former Rajya Sabha member Navjot Singh Sidhu or SAD MlAs Pargat Singh and Inderbir Singh Baloria.
“I have made my offer to them through the media only…They are welcome to join as all three has strong old Congress connections,” said Capt Amarinder.
During the thirteenth session of his ‘Halqe vich Captain’ programme, Capt Amarinder announced that once Congress forms the government, the entire Kandi belt from Ropar to Gurdaspur will be developed as an industrial hub.
Referring to the open loot of riverbeds, he said the sand mafia was robbing the State by Rs5 crore per day and announced that it will be probed. He said, while server penalty will be imposed on the guilty, the farmers who have suffered on this count will also be compensated.
Capt Amarinder also promised to set up the Sixth Pay Commission in Punjab with time bound mandate whose recommendations will be implemented in a time bound manner.
He said that DA installments will be released on time and the benefits will be extended to the pensioners also.