Bathinda: BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Sunday likened AAP govt’s land pooling scheme in Punjab to the 2022 liquor scam in Delhi, stating that the final destination for those behind it will be jail. Speaking to media here, Thakur said Delhi-based leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party, alarmed over facing jail terms in the liquor scam, were now making Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann implement the land pooling scheme. “After minting money, they will go away, and those who implement it will have to face the music,” Thakur added.Thakur, who is a govt body member of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bathinda, visited the health institute duiring the day. He said a 300-bedded facility would be added shortly. He said he came to know of some medicines not being available at Jan Aushadhi and Amrit Pharmacy in AIIMS, and he would take up the matter at appropriate forums. He also accused the state govt of charging the commercial rate for electricity from AIIMS and asked it to provide electricity at subsidised rates. Thakur also hit out at AAP over a growing perception that its Delhi-based leaders were now calling the shots in Punjan. “People in Punjab feel cheated after giving a thumping majority to AAP, as they chose Punjabis to lead them, but Delhi-based leaders took control and are governing Punjab by proxy,” he said. The former Union minister said the Delhi-based AAP leaders were taking decisions that were not in the interest of Punjab or Punjabis. He also raised the issue of AAP not meeting its promise of giving a Rs 1,000 per month cash incentive to women. The BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur constituency also raised lack of jobs, rising drug menace, no MSP on crops other than wheat and paddy, and gangsters running syndicates from jails. He added that elected members of AAP would start leaving it in the next six months, as they knew it had lost people’s confidence. “BJP is sure to form the next govt,” said Anurag. He also took potshots at Samvidhan Bachao rallies of the Congress. He accused the Congress-led govt in Himachal Pradesh of not providing adequate assistance to people ravaged by excessive rain, while the central govt was providing assistance.
