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
Almost 15 months after the farmers' agitation began against the (now scrapped) farm laws and other issues, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer unions that led the protest, said on Thursday that it has suspended the agaitation after receiving positive assurances from the government on their demands, adding that the borders of Delhi will be cleared by Saturday.
India's civil aviation regulator, the DGCA, on Thursday extended the ban on scheduled international commercial flights till January 31.Earlier, India had announced plans to allow resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services from December 15 with certain conditions.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with the country's top security officers held a meeting on Wednesday over the situation arising out of the IAF chopper crash in Tamil Nadu that killed Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 others onboard the ill-fated helicopter.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of the farmers protesting along the borders of the national capital over agricultural issues, have agreed to the draft proposal prepared by the Central government, and is expected make a "major announcement" on Thursday. A meeting is likely to be held on Thursday noon to decide the further strategy of the movement.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday lashed out at the Congress high command for appointing Ajay Maken as the Chairman of the screening committee for shortlisting candidates for the next Vidhan Sabha elections in Punjab. In a statement here, Amarinder Singh said Maken is the nephew of (late) Lalit Maken, who was one of the main culprits of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi.
