Congress to raise self-defence volunteer force in Punjab

Moga, Apr 6 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in Punjab assembly Rajinder Kaur Bhattal today charged the SaD-BJP government of persecuting Congressmen in the state and declared that the party will raise a 'Self Defence Volunteer Force' to protect the lives and properties of its workers.

Ms Bhattal, while talking to media persons here, asserted that ''excesses being committed by SAD workers on workers of Congress would not be tolerated'' and warned the SAD-BJP government that if the politics of vendetta did not cease soon, the Congress volunteer force (defence) would be forced to protect the dignity of its cadre.

Accusing Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of ''letting loose his men on Congress workers'' and expressing grave concern over the ''deteriorating law and order situation'' in the state Ms Bhattal said the only concern of the SAD-BJP government seemed to be slapping false cases upon Congress workers.

Since there has been utter misuse of the state machinery in this matter, the Punjab Congress had decided to raise its own volunteer force, she said.

Lashing out at Mr Badal, Ms Bhattal accused him of having ''double standard'' saying that inside the assembly he assured the house that no vendetta or excesses would be committed on the Congressmen or officers during previous Congress regime but outside the assembly he was doing just the opposite.

In this regard, she referred to the case of former DGP SS Virk who had to apply for anticipatory bail and also cited the case of PAU Vice Chancellor who, she claimed, was made a scapegoat and was forced to resign.

Ridiculing Chief Minister Badal for his charge that Congress-led UPA government had failed to help Punjab, Ms Bhattal claimed it was Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's gesture to waive the loan of Rs 3762 crore that had helped the state to tideover the financial crisis.

Bhattal also criticised Mr Badal for misguiding the people on river water issue and also for getting ''false cases'' registered against former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and others in the Ludhiana city scam.

UNI