Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday disapproved of the evacuation of people from the border areas of the State, alleging that the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre is creating “unnecessary war hysteria and tension” with an eye on Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
“Our army is staying at peace time zones and our villages are being uprooted. Punjabis are being made scapegoats for next year’s Uttar Pradesh elections, as BJP has been unable to establish any foothold there so far,” he claimed.
“When there are not even remote signs of war, why uproot poor farmers and that too at a time when their crops are ready for harvestIJ” Capt Amarinder asked.
Asserting that as of now, there are no signs of war which would necessitate their relocation or evacuation to safer areas, the Congress leader appealed to villagers along the border areas not to leave saying that he would join them soon.
“Punjabis are known for valour, courage, and bravery. They will love to fight alongside their Army than run away, which the BJP is trying to make them do. But they will never do it,” he claimed.
Capt Amarinder, speaking to mediapersons along the sidelines of his ‘Halke vich Captain’ programme in Budhlada, claimed that there were no troop movements on the either side of the border after the surgical strike by the Indian Army on terror launch pads across the loC.
“Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, instead of meekly submitting to the Centre’s diktats, should have taken a stand against the evacuation,” said Capt Amarinder adding that even the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for de-escalation of tension.
Congress MP from Amritsar maintained that Pakistan has no reason to retaliate since the Indian Army had not attacked Pakistan Army, but destroyed the terrorist camps and launch pads across the loC.
Capt Amarinder said: “While India should continue its diplomatic efforts to isolate Pakistan, it must also not close the option of talks…Eventually we have to talk to each other. We better declare war on poverty than against each other.”