Captain Amarinder Singh Pillories Badal’s Panthic Agenda

In a public rally at his home district, Patiala, on June 7, Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha, Captain Amarinder Singh admonished CM Parkash Singh Badal for pursuing panthic and Khalistan agendas.  Cautioning the Badals, he said that such divisive politics would ultimately lead to the government saying, “panth is in danger”.
Dismissing flatly the Badals’ acquisition that he was attempting to create a wedge between SAD and the BJP, Captain Singh said, “"Why are you feeling so insecure and why should I create a wedge between you and the BJP? The BJP will eventually have to part ways with you as you have embarked on a panthic and Khalistani agenda."

Blaming panthic politics for the past bloodshed in Punjab, he expressed strong concerns that the Badals are creating an atmosphere of fear and insecurity in the state which is driving investors away. He further warned that Punjab would lose its industrial growth further if the government continued pursuing sectarian and divisive politics.

Hitting out at Chief Minister Badal for resorting to any means for the sake of power, Captain Singh said, “Just to throw away Hindu majority areas out of Punjab, Badal and others launched Punjabi Suba movement in order to get power."  That led to the state losing out some of its most precious natural and industrial hubs to Haryana and Himachal, he observed.

Responding sharply to Badal’s demand that his achievements as the Chief Minister must be debated, Captain Amarinder Singh asserted, “  The people of Punjab know who saved their waters, who lifted their produce on time, who provided them jobs and electricity and who got them maximum price for their land"
He hit back saying that it’s time for Badal now to come out with the promises he had made to Punjab and how many of those have actually been met. Joining Badal, senior party leader Laal Singh blamed the Badals for plunging Punjab into a debt hole.

Punjab’s outstanding debts stand at over Rs. 1.25 Lac crores currently, of which a whopping Rs. 73,000 crore were accrued in the Akali regime of last eight years, while previous 41 years account for debts worth Rs 51,000 crore only.