Punjab Cong to step up crusade against SAD-BJP regime

Chandigarh, Dec 8 (UNI) Punjab Congress has embarked upon a comprehensive plan to highlight the alleged police excesses and dismal performance of State Government on every front.

Stating this today, Punjab Congress Chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal said the congress party proposed to hold district level rallies and dharnas all over the state, in which local workers, leaders, MPs, ex-MPs, MLAs and ex-MLAs would participate and bring to light the "misdoings" of SAD-BJP regime.

The present Government came into being on the plank of development and upliftment of the poorest of the poor, but within a short span it lost its credibility, she said.

Mrs Bhattal said that tax collection in the first six months of the ensuing fiscal year was at all time low, while non plan expenditure was very high and the Government oweed Rs 3418 crore to the Punjab State Electricity Board.

Similarly on Centrally sponsored schemes front, in order to get Rs 2234 crore from the Government of India, the state is required to pay Rs 505 crores as its share which has not been paid, she said.

This vast gap between collections and expenditure is definitely not a sign of good governance, she added.

Mrs Bhattal lamented that investors were retracting their feet from spending on projects in the state because of "uncongenial" atmosphere and shaky policies. Mega Projects, which were approved by the previous congress Government, were lying in limbo.

She said that due to these factors, employment opportunities were on the wane in the state.

The PPCC Chief said that development in the state had come to stand still and even historic project like Saka Chamkaur, a theme park, which was conceived by the congress Government at Chamkaur Sahib to commemorate the 300 years of martyrdom of elder Sahibjadas of Sri Guru Gobind Singh, was lying midway, although its first phase had already been inaugurated by Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni and then Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

Mrs Bhattal alleged that the Government had miserably failed on law and order front and the number of cases of police excesses had marked considerable increase during the past 9 months of SAD-BJP rule.

A record number of more than 12,000 complaints of human rights violations have been received by the State Human Rights Commission, which speaks volumes of the control of Government on police department and also corroborates the charge of congress of political vendetta.

"The virtually non-governing and non-functioning Government seems to the installed in the state", she said.

Mrs Bhattal said that Punjab Congress was discharging its duty as a responsible opposition party and was duty bound to highlight the "failures" of Government.

She said district units of the party would hold dharnas/rallies at district headquarters on December 13 and submit memoranda highlighting different public interest issues to respective district magistrates.

UNI