Repeated scams in AAP regime exposed Punjab CM: Sukhbir
Darpan News Desk IANS, 08 Feb, 2023 02:13 PM
Jalandhar, Feb 8 (IANS) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday said repeated scams in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) regime, including the latest admission in the high court that the Naib Tehsildar recruitment process was scam ridden, had exposed Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and proven that the latter's government was corruption-ridden.
Talking to the media here, the SAD President said AAP had loudly proclaimed that it would give jobs on merit to students. "Forget doing this, the manner in which all recruitment conducted by the government has been vitiated and proved AAP does not have the welfare of youth at heart," he said.
He also took on Mann for "indulging in gimmicks" and "resorting to a name changing spree at the cost of the public exchequer". "First Seva Kendra established by the previous SAD government were changed to Mohalla Clinics after painting the buildings. Now 540 rural dispensaries have been turned into Aam Aadmi clinics at exorbitant costs. Doctors working in busy hospitals were being forced to do duty in these clinics."
Badal also claimed the same tactic was used to establish the so called Schools of Eminence. "These are nothing but meritorious schools established by Parkash Singh Badal which have been given a new name."
Asking the Chief Minister to tell one dispensary, school or building his government had established, Badal said: "We are witnessing the destruction of the health and education sector in the state."
He alleged that the state was being pushed into an era of darkness with the PSPCL being bankrupted by the AAP government.
He said the government was not releasing subsidy of Rs 4,870 crore due to the power utility, besides Rs 2,605 crore due from government departments.
He said the manner in which PSPCL was starved of funds was leading to power cuts in winter. "The situation could take a turn for the worse and even endanger the paddy crop in summer," he added.
According to media reports, Mann, who was on a eigh-day trip to Germany till September 18, delayed his departure as he was reportedly in 'an inebriated state'. However, AAP has strongly denied the charge, saying Mann was not deplaned at the Frankfurt airport. The party termed it as false and frivolous propaganda by political rivals.
The official added that a case was registered against Shailendra Sharma, the Superintendent and Tax Clerk Raman Agarwal on a complaint alleging that they were demanding a bribe of Rs 50,000 which was reduced to Rs 25,000 from the complainant for getting his mutation file processed. The CBI laid a trap and caught the accused red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe of Rs 25,000 from the complainant.
Both -- Mandeep, alias Manna Tuffan, and Manpreet, alias Mani Rayia -- were allegedly involved in the murder of gangster Ranbir Singh, alias Rana Kandowalia. Kandowalia, who was facing dozens of cases of murder and attempt to murder, was gunned down outside a private hospital in Amritsar in August last year. The Bhagwanpuria group had taken the responsibility for the murder.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had ordered a CBI probe into the death of Phogat. The move came after Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant recommended a CBI probe into the case as per demand of Phogat's daughter and people of Haryana.
The two-time chief minister of Punjab had fought the assembly elections in the state earlier this year in alliance with the BJP as well as Akali Dal (Sanyukt). His party - Punjab Lok Congress - though had failed to get even a single seat during the assembly elections.
During deliberations, the Chief Minister envisaged opportunities for mutual collaboration in business and solutions. He said that the alliance could provide on-field handholding to Punjab farmers in best practices of crop management.
