Addressing a public meeting at Ram Leela Maidan in Patiala, Captain Amarinder Singh has informed that PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah would soon visit Punjab to campaign for the upcoming elections. This comes just a month after the PM’s security was deliberately compromised by the Punjab police while he was on his way to address a rally in Ferozepur.
The former CM of Punjab stated that the PLC-BJP-SAD Sanyukt coalition had been formed in the best interests of Punjab and the country. He emphasised that the state, with its economy in disarray, was at crossroads and needed the Centre’s help to move forward. He added that Punjab was reeling under a debt of Rs 70,000 crores, with Charanjit Singh Channi adding Rs 33,000 crore in just 111 days.
He outlined ambitious plans for the state’s growth and security while addressing the media, which he accused Congress of sabotaging by forcing him to resign as the Chief Minister of the state merely six months before the assembly polls.
He pointed out that the Channi government had blocked even the several development initiatives he had initiated in the Patiala region.
While the PLC leader claimed to have created 22 lakh new jobs and invested Rs 1 lakh crore on the ground during his tenure, he stressed that much more needs to be done to assure the state’s prosperity.
The state and the Centre must work together for Punjab’s survival, Amarinder said, adding that he has had cordial relations with Modi since the latter was Gujarat’s chief minister and the RSS Prabhari for Punjab.
Amarinder Singh rebukes Congress for supporting Sidhu who has no qualms jeopardising national security for personal and political gain
Amarinder Singh was enraged over Navjot Singh Sidhu hugging the Pakistan army chief, who has been instructing his forces to kill Indians every day. He said the state’s governance could not be given over to people willing to jeopardise national security for personal and political gain.
“Who do you hate more? The soldiers who fire or the one who gives the order?” Amarinder asked the people of Patiala at the public meeting, adding that Sidhu’s hugging of General Bajwa and subsequent re-induction into the state cabinet on the Prime Minister of Pakistan’s recommendation clearly demonstrated that he couldn’t be trusted to keep Punjab and India safe from the enemy across the border.
He said that he had informed Congress President Sonia Gandhi that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan had requested him for the reinstatement of Navjot Singh Sidhu into the state cabinet after he was removed from the same.
“We want peace with Pakistan but will not bow to them. We are prepared to fight, our army is ready to take them head-on,” Amarinder asserted, adding that the need of the hour is the highest levels of security in the border state of Punjab, which he said only the PLC alliance, with the support of the BJP-led government at the Centre, could ensure.
It may be noted that Amarinder Singh had prophesied while filing his nomination from Patiala Urban the day before: “Punjab is heading towards a Hung Assembly unless people understand that Punjab needs a secure government. BJP is in government for the next 7 years. Two years more in this term and 5 years thereafter. Without the Centre’s help, Punjab cannot function. We have financial considerations.”
Punjab goes to the polls on February 20 whereas the results will be declared on March 10.
