Punjab CM is an independent soldier, says Sunil Jakhar

Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement and calling Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh an “independent soldier”, the State Congress president Sunil Jakhar on Sunday said he (Modi) had actually acknowledged the free and democratic culture prevailing in the Congress under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi.

Besides, the Prime Minister had also recognised the self-respecting and independent character of the Punjabis represented by Amarinder,he said.

Jakhar said, “This is quite contrary to the autocratic and dictatorial culture prevailing in the BJP under Modi where saner and seasoned voices like those of LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Yashwant

Sinha and Shaturgan Sinha, have either been silenced or banished to Marg Darshak Mandal.”

Asserting that the Congress needed no certificate from the BJP about watching Punjab’s interests, Jakhar challenged him that if he was really such a well wisher of Punjab,he should reimburse Rs31,000 crore that was siphoned off by the previous State Government in which his party (BJP) was an alliance partner, which was blindly overlooked by the centre.

Similarly, he reminded the Prime Minister it was twice during the BJP regime at the Centre that special packages were given to the Hill States of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir at cost of Punjab’s economic and industrial interests.

“Punjab economy is still suffering on account of these packages,” he said while pointing out that the Centre had never provided any relief package for border areas in the State.

Jakhar also referred to the anti-Punjab and pro-Haryana stand of the Modi Government at the Centre on the SYL issue in the Supreme Court, which otherwise had been settled for good by Amarinder way back in 2004 by enacting “Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004”.