SAD to gherao Assembly on 1st day of Budget session

To protest against the farmers’ suicides and non-fulfilment of promises made with the people by the Congress party before 2017 Assembly elections, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday announced to gherao Punjab Vidhan Sabha on the first day of the Budget session.

“Capt Amarinder Singh Government has come to power by making false promises with the people of Punjab. SAD is standing like a rock behind the farmers who are victims of the present Government,” said SAD president Sukhbir Badal, while addressing the political conference on the eve of historical Holla Mohalla festival.

Expressing concern over the rise in suicides by the farmers, Sukhbir blamed the Congress party for making false promise of loan waiver, and forcing the farmers to end their lives. Sukhbir warned Capt Amarinder Government against installing power meters at the tube-wells used for irrigation purpose. “SAD would start agitation if meters were installed,” he said while calling upon the party workers to oppose installation of meters.

He said that the Congress Government had closed down each and every welfare benefit, be it old age pension, Shagun scheme or scholarship scheme for scheduled caste students. “The government has even closed down 800 schools besides refusing to host the annual World Kabaddi Cup,” he said.

Union Minister and Punjab BJP president Vijay Sampla described how all work had come to a standstill. “Far from fulfilling any of its promises, the Congress Government has snatched away benefits given to the people by the earlier SAD-BJP Government,” he said