Punjab BJP on Sunday took on the Congress party for its failure to fulfill pre-poll promises after forming the Government, including eradication of drugs from the State.
“Thirty days or one month is too short a period, but when you make pre-poll promises of setting everything right on day one and eradicate drugs from Punjab in one month, then we can't avoid commenting on your 30 days in office,” said Punjab BJP secretary Vineet Joshi, on the completion of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh's one month in office.
Joshi, accompanied by state vice-president Harjit Singh Grewal, said that the seriousness of Capt Amarinder’s promise to eradicate drugs with ‘Gutka Sahib’ in hand can be gauged from the fact that the head of the Special Task Force (STF) joined the anti-drug body two weeks after it was announced and just two day ahead of completion of Capt Amarinder Singh’s one month pledge, the STF was formally notified.
“Capt Amarinder Singh completed his one month in office today and so did his oath of eradicating drugs from Punjab…Have you made Punjab drug freeIJ” asked BJP leaders.
They said that with the civil and police administration at Capt Amarinder’s disposal, “by now he must have gauged the magnitude of drug menace in Punjab. Capt Amarinder should now substantiate his and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's allegation that 78 percent Punjabis are drug addicts with evidence or he should tender an apology for defaming Punjabis”.
Stepping up the ante, Joshi claimed that with completion of Capt Amarinder's one month in office, a new era of Congress’ ‘goondagardi’ oppression and mis-governance had dawned in Punjab.
listing out the incidents, Joshi said, “Suicide by 15 farmers, desecration of Guru Granth Sahib at six places, forcible occupation of Truck Unions at seven places, gang wars inside Kapurthala Jail and outside SSP Batala's residence, unabated illegal mining all over Punjab, jailbreak attempt in Gurdaspur, U-turns by Ministers, pan Punjab protest by parents against private schools, auctioning of farmers land and physical assault on Akali-BJP workers — all these incidents have marred the first month of Capt Amarinder Chief Ministership”.
Talking on Congress goondaraj, Joshi said that the signs of lawlessness had started showing as early as on March 13, the day Capt Amarinder was elected as leader of Congress legislative Party, when 79-year-old Gurbachan Singh Khalsa, Akali leader, was shot dead by Congress leader Col Surjit Singh (retd) in Pherochichi village of Gurdaspur.
Taking a dig at interference of family members of certain Ministers and MlAs, Joshi said: “The much hyped claim to end VIP culture has been tossed away by ‘MlA patni, Amrita Singh, by attending Government functions on behalf of her husband and Gidderbaha MlA Raja Amarinder Singh Warring.”
“Finance Minister Manpreet Badal's brother-in-law Jaijeet Johal reviewed the Congress’ preparations for the upcoming Baisakhi celebrations as Manpreet had to rush to New Delhi for an event. Education Minister Aruna Choudhary's husband Ashok Choudhary not only chairs the meetings of the department but also pursues files. Former Congress MlA Ashwani Sekhri has forcibly retained the official vehicle allotted to him as an MlA,” he pointed.