Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday advised the state Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh to change his “feudal mindset” and consider himself a part of the general public in a democratic setup rather than treating them as “subjects in his so-called kingdom”.
Badal, at a Sangat Darshan programme in Bassi Pathana Assembly segment, said that he was a “servant of the people” of Punjab and Capt Amarinder is a “king who is not connected to the people at the ground level”.
He alleged that Capt Amarinder feels “belittled” to go to the people, while on the contrary, it was an honour for him to be in their company.
He said that his vision of democracy had always been different from that of the state Congress chief who had a “royal and monarchical approach to governance”.
“Kings live in palaces, I live among the people,” said Badal adding “Amarinder is even inaccessible to his party's MlAs”.
Reminding Capt Amarinder of his “anti-people stance” as Chief Minister, he alleged, “He had discontinued free power to farmers, levied ‘abiana’ on canal water and imposed a blanket ban on government jobs immediately after assuming office.”
“However, the SAD-BJP government after coming to power not only resumed these initiatives but also started new pro-poor schemes like Atta-Dal and a health insurance scheme for all,” he added.
Asking people to beware of the Capt Amarinder’s “dubious role” in bartering away the interests of Punjab, he alleged, “The Congress leadership has divested the state of its capital, river waters and also shattered it on all fronts, be it political, economic or religious.”
On being asked on a notice served by the Enforcement Directorate to Capt Amarinder's family for allegedly stashing illegal money in foreign banks, Badal said that only Capt Amarinder can clarify this issue.
Reacting on the “trend” op Akali leaders joining the Congress, Badal chided such turncoats as opportunists saying that only loyalty and commitment towards party ultimately pays in the long run.
“Majority of such turncoats are amongst those who have been denied party tickets, however, it is a stark reality that if a person is a given ticket, he would worship the party high command like a God and in case of denial, he equates the party’s supremo as a fraud,” he said.