Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and BJP have lashed out at Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for going to the United Kingdom for a book promotion tour at a time when government officials were yet to be paid salaries and farmers were awaiting loan waiver.
Capt Amarinder has been on a tour to the UK since September 7 where he has been taking part in discussions over his book on the Battle of Saragarhi as well as a biography written on him. After finishing his UK tour he will be proceeding to Israel on September 13-18 for an official visit before returning to India.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Khaira said that while there was no problem if the Chief Minister went abroad on the tour and for any purpose, private or public, but the timing of his visit was unfortunate. “How can the CM go abroad on a tour when government officials are yet to be paid salaries for the month of August? Even the so-called crop loan waiver of the state government has not fructified and the farmers are still committing suicides, 200 have died ever since he took over as the Chief Minister, and yet he has gone abroad to promote his books,” said Khaira.
The Leader of Opposition said that the CM not found the time to visit any of the religious fairs like the ones at Talwandi Sabo and the Chapaar Mela giving the excuse that he has a sprained foot. “On the other hand he has no problem travelling abroad. Amarinder is also yet to visit the families of farmers who have committed suicide under loan distress, nor has he toured the state after assuming office, yet he has time to go abroad,” Khaira said.