Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh today accused Khalsa College Governing Council President Satyajit Singh Majithia of trying to "grab and usurp a public institution" that holds a distinct place in Sikh history.
He was responding to Majithia's statement accusing him of politicising the issue of converting Khalsa College in Amritsar into a private university.
"There was one great Dayal Singh Majithia, who bequeathed all his wealth and great institutions like The Tribune and chain of Dayal Singh Majithia Colleges to the nation and here is this Majithia (Satyajit Singh), trying to grab and usurp a public institution for personal gains," Amarinder said.
"Although I am not surprised over modern day Majithias' unbridled greed for money after been completely 'Badalised' in all respects, I still expected them to at least respect the sanctity of the institution which holds an important place in Sikh history and heritage," he said.
The state Congress chief alleged that what the Badals are doing to the SGPC, the Majithias are trying to repeat and replicate with Khalsa College.
Reiterating that the emotions and sentiments of Sikhs across the globe are associated with the institution, Amarinder said, it had been built with support from erstwhile princely states of Patiala, Kapurthala, Jind, Nabha and Faridkot.
"Just by grabbing the institution now and by infiltrating your yes-men into the Governing Council does not confer any moral right or authority on you to usurp it to make money," he said.
Amarinder also said that even if Majithia manages to get the Act for the university passed in the Vidhan Sabha through the Badals, he will ensure that it is repealed after Congress forms government in the state following 2017 Assembly polls.
Referring to his visit to the Khalsa College yesterday, the Punjab Congress chief said, Majithia and other members of the management should know that he had been the chancellor of the college for six years.
Refuting allegations that his security personnel broke the locks of the gate to enter the college, he said "Let me clarify that we simply made a request and the college security staff were kind enough to open the locks."
"But why did you need to lock the gates and why did you want to bar my entry into the campus," Amarinder asked.
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Meanwhile, the second edition of 'Coffee with Captain' took place in Bathinda today where more than 2,000 farmers discussed their agrarian problems and ideas with Amarinder.
Targeting the Badal government, he said, "They (Akalis) destroyed all that I had created. I had prepared a base for 20 lakh jobs which the Akalis destroyed after coming to power."
"Increased power tariffs, untimely payment and lack of any incentive have ensured that farming, once known to be Punjab's pride, has been sidelined and ignored by the current government," he alleged.
Asked by a farmer from Talwandi Sabo on the increasing cost of electricity and its burden on farmers, Amarinder said, "We will give free electricity to run tubewells. We will lower the tariff to Rs 4 per unit by applying a small amount of cess to the national grid price."
He also stressed on the need to grow crops other than rice and wheat.
The former Chief Minister recalled setting up the Tropicana project in 100 villages which would have required growing of raw food material for the beverage manufacturing company. However, Amarinder alleged that the project was stopped midway by the Akalis due to "political reasons".
He also said Congress will implement the Swaminathan Committee report if it forms the government in Punjab.
"There will not be a single incident of farmer suicide and farmers' debts will be waived off. There will be no auctioning of lands on account of debt," he said.
