Akalis to launch PIL if Prez, PM fail to order CBI probe

Hoshiarpur, Oct 4 (UNI) After meeting President APJ Abdul Kalam today, SAD-BJP MPs will also call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seek a CBI probe into various mega-project scams involving the Amarinder Singh government in Punjab and if they failed to respond, the alliance will move court, SAD Chief Parkash Singh Badal said here today.

Talking to newspersons here Mr Badal, former Chief Minister of Punjab, asserted that SAD-BJP would file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the court in case the President and Prime Minister failed in executing their demand of the CBI inquiry into all the scams of so-called mega projects including Ludhiana City Centre scam involving Rs 2100 crore.

Besides, a dharna would also be staged at Matka Chowk, Chandigarh, jointly by SAD and BJP workers on October 15 to press for a CBI probe and to protest against the non-announcement of a relief package for Punjab farmers, who were in debt of about Rs 24000 crore, by the Prime Minister during his recent visit to the state.

Mr Badal accused the Congress of having a bias against Punjab and said that two non-congress Prime Ministers -- Mr Inder Kumar Gujral and Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee had extended complete financial assistance to the state.

All the ongoing projects including rail link between Ludhiana-Chandigarh, converting Raja Sansi Airport into international status, completion of Thein Dam project and installation of refinery at Bhatinda among many others, had been sanctioned by the NDA government, he said.

Mr Badal announced he would hold public meeting to cover all 117 assembly constituencies before the announcement of election due in February next year in the state.

Mr Badal said he would contest the election from his old Lambi constituency. The Party would grant tickets to almost all sitting MLAs. He made it clear that his son Sukhbir Singh Badal would not contest from any seat in these election.

Mr Badal also addressed public meeting at village Rajpur Bhaian, Sandran, Nandachaur, Bagpur Sataur and Sunder Nagar (Hoshiarpur) of Shamchaursi segment. He has already addressed about a dozen public meetings at Tanda and Mahilpur segments of this district.

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