हिंदी
(Takes objection to Kejriwal holding meeting of Punjab chief secretary and PSPCL Chairman)
(Dr Daljit Cheema also asks CM to ensure federal structure was not diluted and asks him to explain why Governor was taking meetings in border districts)
(Asks CM to take up issue of compensating farmers for low wheat yields with the centre)
Chandigarh, April 12 2022
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today asked chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to safeguard the interests of Punjab and ensure the State is not subject to remote control rule by the AAP government in Delhi or taken over by the centre. It also asked the chief minister to address pressing concerns of farmers who were seeking compensation on account of low wheat yields.
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Asking the chief minister to look into these issues immediately, senior SAD leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said instead of tackling the real issues of Punjab, the AAP government was trying to obfuscate them by diverting the attention of the people by focusing on issues like songs and such like activities.
Asserting that recent developments were very dangerous for the State, Dr Cheema said Punjabis were shocked that Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was taking meetings of the Punjab chief secretary and the PSPCL Chairman. “The apprehension in the minds of people that the Punjab government would be run by remote from Delhi under AAP rule is proving to be true”. Asking Mr Bhagwant Mann to clarify the situation immediately, Dr Cheema said the manner in which the Delhi chief minister was riding rough shod over constitutional norms had made Punjabis insecure. “Punjabis rightfully fear that the officers of Punjab could be brow beaten to sign away the rights of the State on important issues like river-waters. Mr Mann should understand that he has been elected to office in Punjab and he alone should hold the required meetings and not give this right to the Delhi chief minister”.
The SAD said simultaneously, the chief minister should stand up to the centre and ensure the federal structure was not diluted in any manner. Dr Cheema said even while the chief minister was in Delhi, the Punjab Governor was taking meetings in the border districts of the State. Terming this as unprecedented, the Akali leader said the chief minister should explain if there was a breakdown in the constitutional machinery and the State had failed in its duties due to which the Governor had to intervene.
Dr Cheema also asked the chief minister to address the pressing concerns of farmers of Punjab. He said due to unusual high temperatures in March, the grain had shriveled leading to low wheat yields. “Mr Mann needs to take up the issue of compensating farmers for this loss with the centre”. He said besides this, central agencies were proposing to enforce value cuts for shriveled grains. “This issue also needs to be taken up with the centre on an urgent basis”, he added.
The SAD also requested the chief minister to direct his ministers and spokespersons not to try to divert attention from the real issues and concentrate on fulfilling the promises made to the people. “Attention also needs to be paid to the law and order situation with the State already witnessing around fifty killings in the last one month alone. The situation is such that individuals are venting out their frustration by showing how chemical drugs are freely available to even a minister. The chief minister should review the law and order situation immediately and ensure a tight check on drug trafficking”, the SAD leader added. EOM
