PPCC chief Capt. Amarinder Singh
Bassi Pathana (Fatehgarh Sahib), June 25, 2016:
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt Amarinder Singh has apprehended a conspiracy at the behest of the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to disturb peace and destabilise Punjab ahead of elections.
Referring to the alleged desecration of the holy Quran at Malerkotla and subsequent police firing on Friday, Capt. Amarinder observed that there appeared to be a pattern in these incidents.
Talking to reporters after interacting with general public here today, the PCC president pointed out , less than a year ago the holy Guru Granth Sahab was desecrated leading to protests and firing on people which killed two protestors.
Now again, he added, the pages of holy Quran were torn out in a clear act of provocation and when the people wanted to meet the local MLA, whose husband Izhar Alam is an ex-DGP, his security personnel fired indiscriminately at them injuring so many.
Demanding a time bound independent probe, the PCC president said, he was sure it will lead to the Chief Minister as an atmosphere of instability and uncertainty will suit him since he has realised that he had lost the trust of the people.
Earlier interacting with people here during a two hour question-answer outreach programme, Capt Amarinder promised that all those guilty for drugs and corruption will be firmly dealt with.
"It is the matter of six months more and I will personally see to it that all those guilty of pushing our youth into drugs are not only put behind bars, but will ensure that they spend rest of their life in jail for the heinous crime they have committed of killing our youth with drugs", he said.
He also announced that the corruption will also be curbed with the iron fist. "You must remember what I did in 2002 with the corrupt by putting them behind the bars and this time I will ensure that come what may they are not able to come out of the jail", he asserted.
Replying to a question on the procurement, he assured the farmers that it was matter of one season more and the better days will again be there, reminding them how during his tenure crops were lifted on time and payments were made within 24 hours.
Responding to the demands of the local residents, Capt Amarinder promised to set up industry in the area for generating employment. The residents raised the issue of lack of employment opportunities in the area.
On the issue of the SYL and Mr Badal's claim that he had repealed the section 5 of Termination of Water Sharing Agreements Act, Capt Amarinder said, it had nothing to do with the SYL as it only protected the water the other states have been getting since 1955.
The PCC president took a dig at Mr Badal's claims that his (Capt Amarinder's) outreach programme was similar to his Sangat Darshan programmes. He said, while Badal's Sangat Darshan remains selective as the people in his programmes are screened and selected before being allowed in, the Congress outreach programme is open for all. He said, people come out with their problems which are being recorded and documented and will be solved, without any discrimination, once Congress forms the government.
Replying to another question on registration of an FIR by the CBI against Akali legislator Jeet Mohinder Sidhu, Gurdeep Singh and others, Capt Amarinder said that the investigation must be taken to the logical conclusion and the guilty must be punished.