- Urges Mann to resolve long pending issues of farmers led by Ugrahana
Chandigarh: Senior Congress Leader & Leader of Opposition (LoP), Partap Singh Bajwa on Sunday has said arrest of former industry minister & BJP leader Sundar Sham Arora was fine but Bhagwant Mann government should also now arrest his cabinet colleague Fauja Singh Sarari embroiled in a corruption & extortion case.
“ The arrest of Arora by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau in a corruption case was okay but what about Fauja Sijngh Sarari whose audio clip has already gone viral in which he was categorically heard fixing a deal to extort money from Punjab officials. Moreover Sarari and his OSD Tarsem Lal Kapoor both had already admitted before the media that the voices in the audio clip actually belonged to them. So what is holding back Bhagwant Mann from arresting Sarari and dropping him from the cabinet as he did with former Health Minister Dr.Vijay Kumar Singla”, added Bajwa.
Bajwa said he would invariably appreciate any effort by the state or the union government to act tough against corrupt officials or ministers. “ However, I am completely against the biased and partial attitude of the Bhagwant Mann government and over its pick and choose policy. Why are there double standards against the congress ministers whereas his own ministers go scot free in corruption and extortion cases added Bajwa.
Bajwa also urged Bhagwant Mann to resolve the long pending issues of the farmers especially being raised by Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan).
Mann promised a bonus of Rs. 1500 per acre to the farmers who would go for Direct Sowing of Rice (DSR) technique for the paddy plantation and claimed it would save water. However a large number of farmers who actually went by the chief minister’s advice have failed to get the promised bonus. Similarly Mann also promised an MSP of Rs. 7275 per quintal for the Moong Dal. The media reports said 80% of the farmers failed to get the promised MSP and rather were victims of the distress sale.
Bajwa said the Mann government also failed to provide adequate compensation to the farmers after their crops were damaged due to inclement weather and heavy rains. The farmers whose cotton crop was damaged due to the onslaught of the pink bollworm were still waiting for relief.
Bajwa said BKU President Joginder Singh Ugrhahan and a large number of his supporters have been sitting on protest demonstrations outside the residence of chief minister Bhagwant Mann at Sangrur . Bhagwant Mann should immediately call yet another round of talks with Ugrahan so that the long pending demands of the farmers were resolved on priority.