Visibly irked by the Congress complaint against Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia for allegedly making “provocative” speech, the SAD on Monday maintained that it were the Congress leaders who “openly talk the language of violence and are flouting the Model Code of Conduct for elections by throwing all restraint and sobriety to the winds”.
“SAD firmly believes that elections are the most civilised, decorous and peaceful way of expressing differences of opinion on issues of public importance. But, the Congress has been, from the very start, trying to personalise the entire campaign, targeting some of the key SAD leaders including Majithia,” said SAD general secretary HS Bains.
Referring to Majithia’s Sunday speech, that has come under Election Commission’s scanner, Bains said that the Revenue Minister went out of his way to emphasise that he and his party treated all rivals with courtesy and respect. “He even offered to welcome the Congress leaders, including Capt Amarinder Singh with open arms saying that he would personally serve him tea and other courtesies of hospitality,” he added.
Defending Majithia, Bains contended, “It with reference only response to the Congress' leaders threat to use naked swords and laathis that Majithia had said that the people of Majitha would ‘pin-down’ anyone who did not respect civility and hospitality….He used a Punjabi expression which everyone knows means ‘pinning down’.”
He alleged the Congress for “deliberately distorting a metaphor”, adding that it “speaks either of poverty of their linguistic skills or of deliberate distortion of meaning”.
NO WORKING PlAN WITH BADAl GOVT ON DRUG MENACE: SINGlA
Sangrur: Accusing the SAD–BJP Government of inaction for letting drugs flow freely in Punjab, Congress MP and party candidate from Sangrur Vijay Inder Singla on Monday said that Punjab Government did not have any concrete strategy to insulate Punjabis from drug abuse and it has completely surrendered to the drug mafia.
“At regular intervals, Badal Government dutifully blames the Central Government for drugs infiltrating from Pakistan border but never engages itself in a dialogue with the Centre to work out an enforcement strategy,” he said.
Questioning the State Government’s sincerity towards fighting drug menace, he remarked how many times Badal Government has asked for assistance and a joint strategy to fight drug war from the Centre whereas for seeking development funds they have approached the Centre several times.
Singla remarked that Centre would be more than willing to assist the State on this issue which is ruining the young generation provided the Punjab Government acknowledges that there is a problem and seeks help.
The congress MP maintained that a coordinated action from State, national and international agencies is required which is lacking today and Badal Government should stop playing politics on this issue.