The Shiromani Akali Dal today slammed the ruling Congress in Punjab for allegedly failing to fulfil its poll promises, including the eradication of the drugs menace, providing employment and waiving farm loans.
Addressing the Shaheedi Conference which was earlier called the "Poll-Khol Rally", SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah had assured him about implementing the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations to address the rural distress.
He claimed that the new museum dedicated to the nation today by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was, in fact, started by his predecessor Parkash Singh Badal.
He said the Congress, which once ruled a majority of the states in the country, has lost nearly all the states because of what he said was the party's politics of betrayal with the people.
He accused Amarinder Singh of lying to the people and not fulfilling his poll promises: eradicating the menace of drugs, giving employment to the youth and waiving the loans of farmers within one month of coming to power in the state.
He claimed that compared to this, Parkash Singh Badal's politics was based on fulfilling commitments and referred to schemes such as "atta-dal" and free power to weaker sections implemented by him.
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Later talking to reporters, the junior Badal refused to comment on the recent CAG report castigating the state on the menace of drugs addiction, saying CAG reports were failing in courts of law. He said the conviction rate in drugs' cases had risen to 85 per cent during their rule.
MP Prem Singh Chandumajra accused the Congress of colluding with the British in the case of the hanging of Bhagat Singh and his associates saying had the Congress wanted to prevent the hanging, the British had not dared to hang them.
He described Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and Manpreet Singh as "Rahu-Ketu" and claimed they would ensure the early fall of the Amarinder Singh government.
Former minister Bikram Singh Majithia too criticised Sidhu and Manpreet Singh for their "opportunistic politics" and termed AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira as the leader of the "B-team" of the Congress.
MP Prem Singh Chandumajra had to be shifted to a private hospital in Nawanshahr just after he had completed his address as he felt uneasiness.
Senior SAD leader Budh Singh Balakipur said the blood pressure of the MP, who was suffering from viral fever, had increased. He is better now and is in the process of being discharged from the hospital, he said.
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