Badal govt has lost moral right to continue: Amarinder Singh

Hoshiarpur, Sep 22 Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh today alleged that the Akali-BJP government in the state has "lost all moral right" to continue "as it has no clue as what was happening in the state."

He also expressed sorrow over the death of RSS leader Jagdish Gagneja, saying the murderous attack on him reflected the "failure" of the government to protect the life of people.

Addressing a farmers' dharna organised jointly by the PCC Kisan Cell and the District Congress Committee here today, Amarinder reiterated that if voted to power in the 2017 assembly polls in Punjab, the Congress government will repay all the loans of the farmers and urged them not to resort to desperate measures like the suicide.

The PCC president said, Gagneja's killing was only one in a series as earlier the Namdhari Mata Chand Kaur was shot dead.

There was a murderous attack on Sant Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale and before that there were incidents of sacrilege and the government was totally clueless.

"The situation and circumstances in Punjab today are such that no Punjabi is feeling safe as the Badals had given up on governance and it was better to sack this government", he said, adding, the "sooner it was done the better it will be".

The former Chief Minister questioned the BJP's silence over what is happening in Punjab today. "I am shocked that they (the BJP leaders) have not been moved even by the murder of the one of their senior colleagues (Gagneja)," he said.

"You have seen five years of my rule (2002-07) and now you have seen their ten years also. Now make a choice yourself", he appealed to the people.

He asked Badal to clarify as how his government was going to procure the paddy as banks had "refused to sanction" Cash Credit Limit (CCL) for the purpose.

Amarinder said, he was worried that despite the likelihood of a bumper paddy crop the farmers may not get right prices as there may be no buyers.

Amarinder also warned people against the Aam Aadmi Party which, he said, was "worse than the Akalis".

"Beware of the AAP lest you end up taking Punjab from lawlessness to anarchy and see what they have done to Delhi", he said.

He asked Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal to clarify himself whether he was in race for Punjab Chief Ministership or not.

PTI