BJP in fray for Jalandhar bypoll on Modi's performance: Amarinder
Darpan News Desk IANS, 24 Apr, 2023 10:59 AM
Jalandhar, April 24 (IANS) Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday said his party was fighting the Jalandhar by-election on the basis of nine years' "extraordinary performance" of the Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing the media here along with party state president Ashwani Sharma and other party leaders, he said under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the country's stature had risen globally.
"India has faced several domestic and international challenges successfully under Modi's leadership and the people realised that," he said, while asserting that the BJP was on a strong footing because of the performance of the Central government. "We are reaching out to people on the basis of the performance of the BJP government at the Centre," he said.
Besides, the former Chief Minister added there was unprecedented development all around, particularly in the defence and infrastructure sectors. He claimed that during the tenure of A.K. Antony as Defence Minister, there was virtually no purchase of equipment and the country was facing an ammunition shortage.
He said during Modi's tenure the country has become fully equipped in terms of ammunition.
Replying to a question over the arrest of Amritpal Singh, Amarinder Singh said the state government had done it quite late and he should have been arrested much earlier. He said nobody should be allowed to play with peace and harmony in the country as there can be no tolerance towards anti-national activities.
The former Chief Minister dismissed the suggestions that a particular community was being maligned or victimised. "Amritpal is neither a leader nor a representative of any community," he said.
He said he has always shown zero-tolerance to corruption. At the same time, he added, anti-corruption drive should not mean resorting to political witch-hunt and vendetta. Action should be taken after due inquiry and not just because someone is politically opposed to "you and you have to settle some score with him", he remarked.
On the issue of Uttar Pradesh gangster Mukhtar Ansari, the former Chief Minister said he had been arrested and detained in the jail under due process of law as there was a criminal complaint registered against him in Punjab
A gofundme has raised US$70,000 for the victim family. The bodies of the four family members – who have been identified after autopsies as Jagdish Patel, 39, his wife Vaishaliben Patel, 37, daughter Vihangi Patel, 11, and son Dharmik Patel, 3 – are currently lying in a morgue in Winnipeg.
Senior advocate and Additional Solicitor General Rupinder Singh Suri passed away, sources said here on Monday. According to reports, he was battling Covid-related complications for over a week. He is survived by his wife Gurvinder and advocate daughters Suruchi and Simar.
A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana told the Punjab government counsel to advise his government to refrain from launching criminal cases against the political opponents, just before the election. The top court directed Majithia to surrender on February 24 before the trial court and seek regular bail.
The chief minister further said that from Monday onwards, they have started recouping farmers' loss. "By providing them with a financial assistance of Rs 20,000 per acre, Delhi is paying the highest compensation amount across the nation," he tweeted, adding that they have handed over cheques amounting to Rs 2.5 lakh or 3 lakh.
Addressing PLC workers after filing his nomination papers from Patiala Urban, the former chief minister trashed Charanjit Channi's tall claims of delivering on the Congress promises in 111 days, pointing out that everything that he was claiming as his personal achievement "was accomplished by my government, including creation of jobs, and action social welfare schemes.
Five-time Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron Parkash Singh Badal on Monday filed his nomination for the upcoming assembly elections from Lambi constituency in Punjab's Muktsar district. He is the oldest candidate at 94 for the February 20 polls to the 117-member legislative Assembly.
