Gurdaspur: Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party, during ongoing electioneering in Gujarat, was trying to “deceive the people” by appropriating schemes which were initiated by the erstwhile SAD govt as their own.Addressing a rally in Gurdaspur, Sukhbir said: “Yesterday Bhagwant Mann claimed that the AAP established mandis after every 4 km in Punjab and would do the same in Gujarat. Today, his boss, Arvind Kejriwal, claimed that the AAP would give free power facilities to farmers on the same pattern as was done in Punjab by his party. They are also announcing that they have started giving Rs 1,000 per month to women in Punjab, even though this scheme is yet to be implemented.”“Such deceit will not serve the AAP well in Gujarat or Punjab. Everyone has realised that this is a govt which spends thousands of crores on advertisements, but does nothing on the ground,” said the SAD chief.Sukhbir was accompanied by senior SAD leader Gurbachan Singh Babehali. The rally was a part of the Akali Dal’s ‘Punjab Bachao’ campaign.Sukhbir also castigated the AAP govt for taking action against a few junior officers in the Milkfed Verka milk powder “scam”. He termed it a “cover-up exercise” and demanded an independent probe into the rejection of the milk powder supplied by Milkfed to the Indian army.“Since chief minister Bhagwant Mann holds the cooperation portfolio, he cannot be expected to conduct an inquiry against himself. Only an independent probe can reveal the truth and ensure punishment to those who have tarnished the image of Punjab nationally,” said the senior leader.He also condemned the CM for not making adequate arrangements for procuring the forthcoming wheat crop in advance. The Akali leader said wheat would start arriving at mandis in another 10 days, but the govt had yet to arrange gunny bags. The govt itself admitted that it did not have the requisite facilities to store the foodgrain, he added.Senior SAD leaders Suchha Singh Langah, Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal, Guriqbal Singh Mahal, and Rajanbir Ghumann were also present.MSID:: 129864971 413 |
