Chandugarh: Led by party president and former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, a delegation of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) marched towards the residence of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann in Chandigarh, on Tuesday, seeking a “debate” on Punjab issues.
Sukhbir Badal tweeted: “CM @BhagwantMann challenged me to a debate on Punjab issues. I accepted the challenge the very same day and announced I will come to his residence on October 10 (today). I thought CM will receive us in the same manner in which former CM Parkash Singh Badal used to meet protesters coming to his residence including Bhagwant Mann and the @AamAadmiParty leadership. But he chose to flee to Madhya Pradesh rather than facing us.”
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal with other senior leaders protesting near SAD office while their March towards Punjab CM residence on SYL issue@grewal_sharma @IndianExpress @iepunjab pic.twitter.com/op1YGEHAI4
— kamleshwar singh (@ks_express16) October 10, 2023
Meanwhile, the Chandigarh police used water cannons on SAD demonstrators who started the march from party office and detained leaders, including Sukhbir Badal, Bikram Singh Majithia, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Daljit Cheema and a few others.
Sukhbir Badal said that besides the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had a lot to answer for, including “kickbacks received for hiring a jet aircraft for Rs 120 crore, incurring an expenditure of Rs 750 crore on advertisements, and causing an excise loss of Rs 550 crore to the exchequer.”
Strongly condemn @BhagwantMann for pressing Police to use excessive force including water cannons to prevent the senior Shiromani Akali Dal leadership from proceeding peacefully to his residence. Bhagwant Mann has not only run away from a debate on #SYL canal and other burning… pic.twitter.com/6UjgVkhmlU
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) October 10, 2023
Earlier on Monday, the SAD president told a party meeting in Dharamkot of Moga district that an Akali Dal delegation would move towards the CM’s residence on Tuesday (October 10) to “hold a meaningful debate with CM Mann on the SYL issue.”
“It has been decided that only district presidents, halqa in-charges and SGPC members will be part of the delegation that proceeds to the CM’s residence on Tuesday to hold him accountable for selling off the interests of Punjab on the SYL canal issue to Haryana. The chief minister should be ready to debate the entire issue and also explain why he has asserted in the Supreme Court that his government was ready to construct the SYL canal,” said Badal.
Asking CM Mann “not to try to ward off Tuesday’s debate by offering lame excuses”, Badal said, “Punjabis are also keen to know why you have made offers to access the water availability in Punjab, when you know very well that no water is available and that as per the Riparian Principle, Punjab, has an inalienable right to all the water flowing in its territory and cannot be forced to share it with any other state.”
He said that the AAP government was indulging in blatant corruption by going in for needless wasteful expenditure and even securing kickbacks on the same.
CM @BhagwantMann challenged me to a debate on Punjab issues. I accepted the challenge the very same day and announced I will come to his residence on October 10 (today). I thought CM will receive us in the same manner in which former CM Parkash Singh Badal used to meet protesters… pic.twitter.com/tI8mJh7QZZ
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) October 10, 2023
Badal said that the government had decided to hire a jet aircraft at an estimated cost of Rs 120 crore for the use of AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal for a period of six months. Similarly, he added that there were “widespread reports of as much as 25 per cent kickbacks in the Rs 750 crore advertising bill.”
“Earlier the government copied the Delhi excise policy to give undue advantage to a few liquor companies leading to a loss of Rs 550 crore to the state exchequer, a large portion of which was used to finance Arvind Kejriwal’s election campaigning in several states,” he said.
From : indianexpress.com