Chandigarh: Terming it AAP’s conspiracy to humiliate Punjab’s farmers after using them for votes and cheap political motives, the Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Thursday alleged that it was at behest of chief minister Bhagwant Mann that the state was held to ransom and allowed to bleed financially and economically for 400 days for a “dharna’’ (sit-in) which was never in state’s long-term interests.
Addressing newspersons here, Jakhar accused Mann of pushing Punjab down the path of economic instability by first propping up a set of so-called fake farm leaders whose only aim was to settle their inflated egos and they had no concern for farmer welfare, and raised the question that if Shambhu and Khanauri could be vacated on Wednesday without protest, why let Punjab suffer loss of lives and revenue for 400 days.
“It was Bhagwant Mann who forced farmers to first sit on dharna when it suited AAP during Lok Sabha elections, and now it is the same Bhagwant Mann who is trying to take credit for vacating Shambhu and Khanauri to garner votes ahead of Ludhiana by-poll,’’ Jakhar said here while adding that CM is directly responsible for loss of precious lives, revenue and jobs during the blockade for instigating farmers.
AAP MINISTER HITS BACK
Punjab Cabinet minister Lalchand Kataruchakk attacked the Congress party, accusing it of political opportunism and double standards on issues related to farmers, industrial growth, and Punjab’s overall development. He called out Congress for its failure to support farmers and for playing politics to derail Punjab’s progress.
Pointing out Congress’ “hollow posturing” on farmers’ issues, he said that with 99 members of Parliament, Congress must explain why its MPs failed to raise the farmers’ concerns in Parliament during the farm agitation. They remained silent in the Lok Sabha when farmers were sitting on roads. Today, Congress protests outside Parliament, but Punjab’s people are asking: where was Congress when the farmers needed them the most?”, he asked.
He further questioned Congress, what he held as “broken promises”, stating, “during its tenure in Punjab, Congress promised to waive farmers’ loans. Where are the results? Let Congress show how many farmers’ debts they waived. Instead, their government indulged in scams, including the misuse of the Rural Development Fund, meant for building roads”, he asked.
