Captain Amarinder at Samrala in Ludhiana
Samrala (Ludhiana), September 10, 2016: Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt Amarinder Singh today justified his opposition to Arvind Kejriwal's claims to Chief Ministership of Punjab saying it is the question of Punjabi pride and self respect which will not allow any Punjabi to be ruled by any outsider.
He also disagreed with the Speaker's action of using physical force to evict two MLAs from the house.
"It is the question of Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiyat which only a Punjabi can feel and understand", he said, while talking to reporters along the sidelines of the 'Halke vich Captain' programme today.
Asserting that it was important that the person aspiring to be the Chief Minister of Punjab has his roots in Punjab and is rooted in its culture and ethos, Capt Amarinder pointed out, Mr Kejriwal did not even have the basic knowledge that Amritsar and Anandpur Sahab were already officially declared 'Holy Cities' as he announced that his government will declare these as holy cities.
"This is encyclopaedic ignorance that is natural for someone who is alien to the history and culture of the place", he remarked, while adding, "at least you won't expect such stupid and silly mistakes from a native Punjabi".
The PCC president also disagreed with the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker's action in getting two legislators physically lifted out of the house. He said, although the Speaker was within his right to order such action, but he should have avoided it and the legislators should have been allowed to put forth their point of view since they are democratically elected representatives of people.
He also denied that any leader was left out or not invited for the party functions. Replying to a question that the party MP Shamsher Singh Dullo had not been invited, Capt Amarinder clarified that the invitations are extended to all the leaders irrespective of their seniority.
"Moreover Mr Dullo is our Rajya Sabha member and it is out of question that he may not have been invited", he said.
However, he added, no invitations are extended to anyone for the 'Halke vich Captain' programme.
Earlier interacting with people, Capt Amarinder said, the Akalis had lost all the moral authority to "wail and whine" over the discrimination with Punjab.
"It is the Akalis, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in particular, who have repeatedly betrayed Punjab and compromised with its interests by successive betrayals", he said, while pointing out how Akalis went on making so many compromises and concessions to get Punjabi Suba (state) so that they could have their own Chief Minister.
Otherwise, he pointed out, Punjab would have been one of the most prosperous and powerful states in the country spread across from Pakistan to Delhi with huge resources which went away with Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
The PCC president promised that all the party workers who were victimised and discriminated against by the Akalis will get preferential treatment in his government.
Besides, he added, all the cases will be cancelled and those responsible for the false cases will be punished whether they be the police officials or the Akali Jathedars.
Capt Amarinder reiterated that the Congress government will waive off all the loans of farmers, provide at least one job in each family, continue with aata-daal scheme and 300 units of free power to the poor and the downtrodden sections.
Prominent among those present included local MLA Amrik Singh Dhillon and former minister Tej Parkash Singh.