Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday charged the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre of ignoring Punjab and stalling development projects in the State for its vested political interests.
A number of important projects of public importance were hanging in fire despite the completion of the entire work because the Union Government was not granting the permission to operationalise them, Badal told the reporters on the sideline of an inauguration of the 55th Panjab University Zonal Youth and Heritage festival at Guru Gobind Singh College.
Citing an example, Badal said that the total civil work of Bathinda Airport has been completed but the Union Civil Aviation Ministry was not granting the permission to operate flights from there.
“I have personally taken up this matter with the top brass of Union Government but of no avail,” he said, adding that it has vindicated our stand that the Congress party has always adopted an anti-Punjab stance, and “there is an unending list of such instances”.
The Congress leadership must desist from stooping too low because the wise people of Punjab will never spare them for these sinister activities,” added Badal.
Replying to another query, the Chief Minister said that the SAD-BJP alliance would sweep the upcoming polls for Delhi Assembly. “People are fed up by rampant corruption and inflation, the wise voters of Delhi would show door to the Congress”, he added.
The SAD, being a key ally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), would extend full support and cooperation to BJP in routing the Congress first from Delhi and then from the entire country, he said.
Expressing concern over the massive destruction caused by cyclonic storm 'Phailin' in east coastal areas of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, Badal said that Punjab Government would make every endeavour to help the two affected States.