Dr Daljit Singh Cheema says after SAD Sangrur unit took up issue in high court the State government is reviewing the entire exercise
The party will also demand independent probe into liquor, seed and ration scams
Chandigarh, June 15, 2020: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today announced that it would hold a symbolic protest across the State on June 18 and hand over memorandums to Deputy Commissioners to demand restoration of all Blue cards which had been deleted at the instance of Congress leaders.
Talking to newsmen here on this issue, former minister and party Spokesman Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said thousands of Blue cards, on the basis of which ration is given in the State, had been deleted in each constituency due to petty political considerations by Congressmen leading to widespread misery among the people.
Dr Cheema said party Sangrur district president and former mla Iqbal Singh Jhundan had taken up the case in the high court by filing a plea on behalf of thirty two persons from four villages whose Blue cards had been deleted from the State database. He said the high court had decided to review the entire exercise and the Punjab government was forced to conduct a review and give an undertaking that it would deliver ration to all original Blue card holders. “We however suspect the intentions of the Congress government which had denied the poor their due earlier also and will demand the Deputy Commissioners ensure there is no discrimination in distribution of foodgrains under the ‘Aaata-Daal’ scheme”.
The SAD leader also said the memorandums which would be handed over to the Deputy Commissioners to be passed on to the State Governor, would also demand an audit of the ration sent by the centre for distribution to the poor during the lockdown. He said chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh had recently demanded that the scheme be extended for another six months but there were widespread complaints that the ration received by the State during lockdown had been misappropriated by Congress leaders.
Dr Cheema said the party would also demand immediate action against Congressmen responsible for the liquor, seed and ration scams. He said the party would also demand waiving off power bills of both domestic and industrial consumers during the lockdown. He said these bills should be paid to the electricity and power utilities from the Disaster Relief fund. He said the party would also demand that outstanding sugarcane dues of Rs 383 crore owed by private sugar mills to cane growers be released immediately with interest.
Sangrur district president Iqbal Singh Jhundan was also present on the occasion.