CM dares suspended Badal for debate in House

Khadoor Sahib, Amritsar, Sep 18 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today dared Leader of Opposition Parkash Singh Badal, who has been suspended from the state assembly for the ongoing session, to have a debate on the issue of development in the House.

Addressing a gathering at Gurdwara Sri Angeetha Sahib on the occasion of 'Gurgadi Diwas' of Guru Angad Dev, the Chief Minister said Mr Badal and his partymen deliberately created unruly scenes in the assembly on Friday last which led to their suspension.

''They just wanted to evade the discussion in the House by such acts,'' he said.

Capt Singh said he was adamant to present the factual position before the people of the Punjab through the debate on development undertaken by the Congress government to dispel any malicious propaganda by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

He said that the entire proceedings of the discussion in the State Assembly would be live telecast on all the electronic channels to enable the people to draw an inference who were the real well wisher of the state.

Taking Mr Badal to task for creating ''unwarranted furore'' over the City Center at Ludhiana, Capt Singh said that Mr Badal was blowing the issue out of proportion.

Capt Singh criticised Mr Badal for taking donation of Rs eight lakh from the Indian Tobacco Company (ITC) for his Akali party. He said that this action was unpardonable as it hurt the Sikh sentiments.

UNI XC PS JN VA RS1952