Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today took a dig at Congress leader Amarinder Singh, saying he was "trying to replicate" him by launching mass outreach campaign in the hope of becoming Chief Minister but his dream will "never be fulfilled."
Badal said Amarinder was "promising moon" to everyone knowing very well that he "could not form" the government when he faces the Assembly polls next year.
"Former Chief Minister is trying to replicate me. The most inaccessible Captain is now sweating out in scorching heat in the hope of becoming the Chief Minister of state," the SAD leader said here on the sidelines of 'Sangat Darshan' programme in Nakodar assembly segment.
Badal was taking a swipe at Amarinder's recently-started six-month mass outreach campaign 'Halke Vich Captain' (Captain in the area) under which the Punjab Congress Chief will spend a day in each of all 117 assembly constituencies to establish a direct contact with voters.
In this campaign, Amarinder, an MP from Amritsar, is hearing out grievances of people, and promising them to set up Special Task Force within 100 days if Congress forms government for redressing public grievances.
Through this campaign, Amarinder aims to reach out to 2 crore people which has been designed by I-PAC, team of poll strategist Prashant Kishor.
Badal has been holding 'Sangat Darshan' (meeting people) programme whereby he listens to problems of people and tries to solve them on the spot.
"This dream of Captain (of becoming the Chief Minister) can never be fulfilled as people of state are solidly with the SAD-BJP alliance. The 'darbars' of Captain are totally a futile exercise as Captain neither has the intention nor the will power to ensure welfare of people" Badal said.
Slamming the Congress leaders for shedding "crocodile tears" on the emotive issue of Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, the Chief Minister said they should not forget that they were a "part and parcel of this grave conspiracy to snatch the waters of state".
He said every Congress leader, who is creating hue and cry over this issue, should know that it was Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who laid the foundation of this canal to "ruin" the state.
Likewise, he said that at that time every big or small Congress leader including the present state Congress Chief Captain Amarinder Singh had welcomed Indira Gandhi to perform ground breaking ceremony for depriving Punjab of its share in water.
Later, on the sidelines of Sangat Darshan programme in
Bhai Ka Kera village, the Chief Minister said he would raise with the central government the issue of resuming the broadcast of Punjabi news bulletin service from All India Radio (AIR).
He said the state government was duty-bound to promote Punjabi language and culture. "We will leave no stone unturned to ensure that this bulletin service is restarted at the earliest," Badal added.
The Chief Minister also expressed deep concern over desecration of Gurdwara Sahib in Srinagar and imposition of tax on Gurdwara Sahib in Aligarh.
Noting that such incidents should be avoided as they have serious repercussions, Badal said all state governments should ensure that sanctity of each religion was maintained.
Replying to a query, he said Congress leaders were to be blamed for Chandigarh not being given to Punjab and they were "shedding crocodile tears" on the issue. He said the party has a done grave injustice to the state on the issue.
