Chandigarh, Aug 28 (PTI) Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday tore into the ruling AAP in Punjab, alleging that they have outdone even the Congress in corruption.
Attacking the AAP dispensation, the agriculture and farmers’ welfare minister said that the Centre sends funds to the state under various schemes but they are siphoned off.
“Dilli paisa bhejti hai aur ye AAP wale uss paisa ko saaf kar jate hain. Bhrashtachar kay maamle mein AAP Congress ki baap nikli (The Centre sends funds and ‘AAP’ people siphon them off. When it comes to corruption, AAP has outdone even the Congress),” Chouhan said, addressing a gathering in Baba Bakala in Amritsar district on the occasion of Rakhar Punya fair.
He alleged that if people in Punjab have to get any of their work done, rates are fixed and they have to pay bribes.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon, other senior BJP leaders including Tarun Chugh, Vijay Sampla, Ashwani Sharma and Manpreet Badal were also present.
With assembly elections scheduled to be held in Punjab early next year, Chouhan appealed to people to oust the “corrupt AAP” government from power.
He told the people that they have tried all other parties and they should give one chance to the BJP, promising that it will transform the state and also bring a new roadmap for the state’s agriculture.
Chouhan, while referring to AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal’s strong opposition to E20 or ethanol-blended petrol, said when farmers started to get a good price for their produce, they are not able to digest it. They oppose every such work which goes in favour of Indian farmers, he said.
“Kejriwal, (Punjab Chief Minister) Bhagwant Mann should give an answer to what they have done for farmers,” he said.
Chouhan said that the PM Fasal Bima Yojana has not been implemented by the Mann government. Referring to last year’s floods in the state, he said had they implemented the scheme, farmers would have got the benefit.
“If anyone has committed the sin of depriving farmers of this scheme, it is Bhagwant Mann,” he charged.
Chouhan alleged that in Punjab, urea is getting diverted and reaching other people. It is injustice with farmers if the benefit which they should be getting is going to others, and AAP has been doing this injustice with farmers, he alleged.
“During floods last year, houses of many poor suffered damage. I sought list from the Punjab government that we will give them houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
“For three months, they did not send any list. Because they think if the affected get the benefit of PM Awas Yojana, the credit will go to Modi ji,” he said.
He said later, when he got the list of 34,000 affected houses, the Centre gave the money. “But I am told that the poor have not yet got those houses,” he said, adding that the Mann government does not even give the account where the money goes.
In the past 12 years, the Centre has given over Rs 8.20 lakh crore to Punjab through various schemes, he said.
For rural development, under The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), the Centre has already given Rs 1,331 crore this year, he said.
Further attacking the AAP government, Chouhan said that the drug menace has spread while the law and order situation has deteriorated and gangsterism has increased.
Taking on the Congress, he said the state unit was busy with infighting, with state Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi walking separate ways.
Chouhan appealed to the people to give one chance to the BJP in Punjab.
He promised that the BJP, if it comes to power, will come up with a new roadmap for Punjab’s agriculture which will be made by top agricultural scientists.
“We will bring a change in the state’s agriculture and a change in farmers’ lives. Produce of Punjab farmers will reach global markets,” he said.
He cited examples of states like Assam and West Bengal and said people once used to say that the BJP cannot come to power in these states, but after it did, these states were now marching on the path of progress. PTI SUN KSS KSS
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