CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal today accused Punjab Congress President Partap Singh Bajwa of betraying the farmers of Punjab by calling them to Delhi on the pretext of meeting UPA Chairperson Mrs. Sonia Gandhi for getting a special package for state peasantry.
Reacting strongly to the exploitation of the Punjab farmers’ by Mr. Bajwa, Mr. Prem Singh Chandumajra, General Secretary Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, General Secretary and Mr. Manpreet Singh Ayali, MLA from Mullanpur Dakha alleged that it was unfortunate that Mr. Bajwa took the farmers for a ride on false assurances of getting the special package to flood hit farmers and increase minimum support price (MSP) to be announced by the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. They said that Mrs. Sonia Gandhi did not even bother to come out and meet the delegation led by the Congress President. They said that Mrs. Sonia Gandhi did not have time for meeting Punjab farmers, who contribute maximum share i.e. more than 65% in national food kitty whereas she was always ready to extend any assistance or package from Center to the farmers of Rai Barelli or Amethi (U.P.).
They also asked Bajwa to clear his position on the allegations raised by Mr. Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Congress MLA about the pride place provided to drug traffickers in Punjab Congress. They also asked him about his stand for the people of Punjab while he has failed to satisfy his own party rank and file. They said that Bajwa, Captain or any other congress leader cannot fight for Punjab and Punjabis as in Congress Party there has been always a fight for ‘crown’ or ‘chair’.
Cautioning the entire state of Punjab especially the farmers against Mr. Bajwa’s hollow and misleading assurances, SAD leaders said that even the congress workers were taken for a ride to Delhi felt humiliated and exploited. They also said that the SAD was ready to accompany Bajwa to Delhi and extend full support to him if he genuinely carries forward the issues of announcing a special relief package for the farmers of flood affected Malwa belt, increase in the MSP of the crops with wholesale price index, against constant racial attacks on Sikhs in foreign countries besides demanding justice for the victims of 1984 Sikh carnage.
They said that on the other hand it was Chief Minister S. Parkash Singh Badal who went all the way to the houses of the farmers’ affected in recent floods and extended all possible help. He also said that “Mr. Bajwa has not only demoralized the farmers but also misguided the media about his so called visit to Delhi to get various issues of farmers’ sorted out at the hands of Delhi Durbar”, said the SAD leaders.
They accused Bajwa of dubious character and double speak on the issues pertaining to Punjab and Punjabi farmers.