Punjab Congress on Monday alleged that SAD-BJP Government in the State had completely failed to control law and order and people were living under constant threat of organised gangs of criminals.
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa, addressing a party workers’ meeting, shared his concern over deteriorating law and order and involvement of police personnel in certain incidents of thefts in the border districts. “Reports of criminals striking at night in some other parts of state are disturbing. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, who also holds the home portfolio, is fully responsible for breakdown in law and order,” he added.
Bajwa said that poor law and order was one of the major reasons that investors were not willing to invest in Punjab. “Congress had warned many times against mafia groups spreading its roots here and criminals getting political shelter. The cases of murder, rape and robbery are on rise. Gang wars are not part of Punjabi culture but during the Panchayat elections for the first time gangs belonging to ruling SAD are seen attacking each other,” he said adding that about six Congress workers were killed in the poll violence by SAD workers.
PPCC president said that crime and corruption had become trade marks of present SAD-BJP government. Claiming that State’s economy was in shambles, Bajwa said that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal accused him for painting a gloomy picture of Punjab by making “false” statements. Rebutting Badal’s statement, he asked him to read the facts of economic performance of Punjab. “Punjab’s growth rate which was 9.05 per cent in 2007-08 when previous SAD-BJP government came to power has declined at lowest rate of 5.19 per cent in 2012-13 -below the projected figure of 6.24 per cent in budget for 2012-13,” he pointed out. Bajwa, reiterating his demand for special industrial package for border districts to prevent exodus of industry from Punjab, said that due to heavy taxes, costly power rates and non-availability of land and labour, the industry was relocating to other states.