Punjab Congress' manifesto has no credibility: Phoolka

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader H S Phoolka today ridiculed the manifesto released by Punjab Congress for the upcoming Assembly polls, saying it is nothing but a document to mislead people of the state.
"Congress falsely promises to protect the waters of Punjab but the fact is that it was Congress leader Indira Gandhi who initiated the construction work of Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) in presence of Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh at Kapuri," Phoolka said.
Phoolka claimed that AAP has stronger roots in Punjab's culture and tradition and pointed the party has released all its manifestoes from the state unlike Congress, who chose to release it from New Delhi.

"AAP has released all its manifestos from the hinterland of Punjab, making it amply clear which party is strongly rooted to state's culture and tradition" he said.
The AAP nominee from Dakha assembly, Phoolka, accused Amarinder of making false promise of one job for each household in the manifesto. "By that yardstick, he will have to provide nearly 55 Lakh jobs in the state, which is nothing but a promise to mislead the people," he said.
Asserting that the manifesto lacks credibility, he asked why should people believe Capt Amarinder, who had promised jobs in his 2002 manifesto but did exactly opposite after he became the chief minister.

It was Capt Amarinder who imposed a blanket ban on the recruitment drive in Punjab immediately after coming to power in 2002, he said.

"Capt Amarinder issued notification for discontinuing with the pension and other welfare schemes for the employees, disabled and senior citizens," Phoolka said.
He said it was Capt Amarinder, who after coming to power immediately ordered withdrawl of free power to the farmers of Punjab, who were reeling under heavy debt and alleged that he did nothing to provide any financial or monetary relief to them during his tenure.
While AAP in its manifesto promised to waive off the small and marginal farmers' loan by December 2018, Congress in its manifesto would initiate such an exercise by waiving off the loans which would benefit only rich farmers and people such as Capt Amarinder, he said.

He alleged that Congress made the promise of implementing OROP in the wake assembly polls in the state.
"The Congress was at the centre for 10 years from 2004 to 2014. Why it never occurred to them to implement the OROP scheme at that time? It only shows this has been promised keeping the polls in mind," he said.
Terming Capt Amarinder's promise to abolish drugs in Punjab within four weeks after coming to power as "laughable", he said, "The man who saved his nephew and Akali minister Bikram Singh Majithia from the CBI probe into Rs 6000 Cr drug racket in the state is now talking about abolishing drugs".