हिंदी
Chandigarh, January 30, 2024
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today released the calendar for the party’s February 1 Punjab Bachao Yatra alongside a pamphlet showcasing the achievements of the erstwhile SAD government as well as the complete failure of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on all fronts.
The pamphlet highlighting the achievements of the erstwhile SAD government focused on how the SAD had not only given free power facility to farmers but was instrumental in granting 3.81 lakh tubewell connections. It highlighted how the SAD tenure witnessed a complete overhaul of the existing road network system and creation of four lane highways at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore. It disclosed that five of the six thermal plants in the State came up during SAD tenure as well as the major airports at Amritsar, Mohali, Bathinda, Sahnewal, Adampur and Pathankot. It also disclosed that 3.5 lakh government jobs were given during the erstwhile SAD government as well as establishment of renowned institutions like AIIMS, Bathinda, Cancer hospital Bathinda, Homi Bhabha Institute, IIM and IIT besides others. It also disclosed that the SAD had always focused on enhancing social welfare benefits and that unique initiative like aata daal scheme, old age pension scheme, SC Scholarship scheme, Medical Insurance scheme, Shagun scheme, free cycles for girls, Teerath Yatra scheme and provisions of sports kits were initiated by SAD governments.
The pamphlets said in stark contrast the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government headed by Bhagwant Mann was bent on ruining Punjab. It said the AAP government had taken an unprecedented loan of Rs 60,000 crore in the last twenty months but had nothing to show by way of development or infrastructure development. It said as much as Rs 1,500 crore had been wasted on advertisements and self publicity stunts even as hundreds of crores were used to finance the air travel and election campaign programmes of AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal across the country on the Punjab exchequer’s expense. It also focused on how industry was leaving Punjab for Uttar Pradesh and other States due to the AAP government’s failure to maintain law and order. It said 565 farmers had died following suicide due to distress as farmers were not paid minimum support price for pulses and maize besides not being compensated for crop losses. It also disclosed that 350 persons had died due to drug overdose during the AAP government.
