Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday said Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh has committing fraud by promising farmers a waiver he could not implement even if he came to power.
"You promised farmers in Punjab that you would get their loans waived off when you come to power. However even before the elections could be held you were seen at the PM's door begging the Prime Minister to waive off these loans. Either you knew that you could not waive off these loans or you deliberately lied to the people of Punjab. It is now up to you to come clean on this issue", Badal said here.
Addressing a news conference, Badal, also the Shiromani Akali Dal president said this was not the first time that the Congress had lied to the people by making tall promises and not kept the same. "Earlier your leaders promised people before the polls that they would give five acres of land free of cost to the landless but did nothing to fulfil this promise once elected to power".
He said it seemed Amarinder had bitten more than he could chew. "This can be the only reason why you are covering your tracks and approaching the PM to fulfil this demand. Why didn't you do anything on this front during the ten year of UPA ruleIJ Did you even make a single representation to your own Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh or your party president Sonia Gandhi on this issueIJ" asked the deputy chief minister.
Sukhbir asked, "Has any Congress Government in any State made any effort to waive farmer duesIJ You yourself as chief minister did not try to come to the aid of farmers. Forget initiating any loan or even interest waiver exercise, you even endangered the entire farm economy of Punjab by withdrawing the free power facility extended to farmers to take care of their irrigation needs by S Parkash Singh Badal".
The SAD president said the Kejriwal style drama of Capt Amarinder had proved that he had no intention of waiving off any farmer loan even if he came to power. He said Amarinder had lied and deceived the farmers and even concocted forms which had no legal sanctity. "This amounts to betraying the interests of farmers for cheap petty political gains", he added.
Sukhbir said the SAD- BJP government had recently even come to the aid of small farmers by extending them interest free crop loans of `50,000. "This was done to cover the cost of inputs of farmers during the recent sowing period. We are also committed to offering cooperative loans at nominal interest to farmers. I am sure the union government will come out with a good package for farmers in the forthcoming budget".
The SAD president said Punjab government had already done what Amarinder was promising to the farmers.