A day after reports of Election Commission of India (ECI) mulling over holding elections in five states, including Punjab, after presentation of Union Budget in February-March, Punjab Congress on Monday demanded holding polls ahead of the Centre’s budget.
The party strongly opposed the Centre’s reported move to present its Budget well in advance on February 1, ahead of the crucial Assembly elections in five important States— including Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttrakhand and Manipur.
“Instead of delaying the elections, we want the elections should be advanced and Code of Conduct imposed immediately to prevent the incumbent Government from doling out and squandering away precious resources for electoral purposes,” said State Congress vice-president and chief spokesperson Sunil Jakhar.
Reacting to the media reports that the Union Government had got the permission from the Election Commission of India to present the Budget on February 1 after which the elections will be held in five States, he said: “It is unprecedented and a clear attempt to influence the outcome of the results in five States.”
“Presenting the Union Budget when Election Code of Conduct is in force defeats the very purpose of the code,” he said, while asking, when normally the Union Budget was presented on February 28 or 29, what is the urgency of advancing the Budget this year by a month.
Besides, Jakhar pointed out that according to the normal schedule, the election process in all the five States will be completed in the month of February itself.
Jakhar also expressed surprise over the ECI’s reported approval for advancing the Budget by a month. “You can’t even announce putting on a single brick during the imposition of the election code and here you are talking about presenting the entire union budget that concerns each and every citizen of this country and has full potential to swing public opinion for or against,” he pointed, while urging the ECI not to allow advancing of the budget, “which is clearly being done in view of the elections in five States”.
River water row: Congress threatens mass agitation
The Punjab Congress on Monday called upon Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to seek public apology for betraying the people of the State on the river waters issue over the years.
The party, at the same time, announced to launch a mass agitation after submission of the resignations of the legislatures in case the Akalis fail to protest State’s water.
“We will boycott the Akalis politically and urge the people of Punjab to boycott them socially also because they betrayed Punjab,” said State Congress legislature Party leader Charanjit Singh Channi.
Channi challenged Badal to prove his sincerity to Punjab on river waters issue at least once rather than resorting to rhetoric and exploiting sentiments of the people on this sensitive issue. He also blamed the Chief Minister for replicating his same act as he did in 1978 on the issue of the waters of Punjab.
“The SAD today intentionally wants to weaken the case of SYl in the Supreme Court just to gain mileage in the elections, by making it an election issue but the people of Punjab very well know that who has done what for saving the waters of Punjab,” he said.