Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today alleged that Congress will "dump" the issue of debt waiver once it comes to power in the state as the party has a "notorious past" of back-tracking from the promises made to people.
Addressing a gathering during a 'Sangat Darshan' programme in Dera Baba Nanak assembly segment here, he alleged that Congress had never fulfilled the promises made to people, including the promise of 'Garibi Hatao' (removing poverty).
"Despite promising Chandigarh and Punjabi speaking areas to Punjab along with big projects, Congress never stood by its words," Badal said, alleging that the party "has a notorious past of back-tracking from the promises made to people".
"Though the then Prime Minister had promised in the Parliament to hand over Chandigarh to the state in 1980s, it never materialized as Congress backtracked on the issue," he added.
"Despite making tall promises, even the present Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh withdrew the facility of free power given to farmers during his regime (as chief minister of the state)," he added.
"As a leopard cannot change its spots, I can easily foresee that Congress will dump the issue of debt waiver after gaining power," the Shiromani Akali Dal leader claimed.
He alleged that Amarinder was misleading people on the issue and there was no guarantee of Congress fulfilling this promise "as they neither have vision nor the will to do this work".
Targeting both Amarinder and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the five-time Punjab Chief Minister said, "Neither Amarinder Singh nor Kejriwal have any sympathy for the state."
"Both these leaders want to attain power in the state for their vested interests," he alleged and asked the people to be cautious of both these leaders "who have never struggled for safeguarding the interests of the state".
"Their only contribution is that they lead those parties which are inimical to the interests of the state and its people," he alleged.
The Chief Minister said Punjab, once a prosperous state, had allegedly suffered a lot due to the "discriminatory attitude of the successive Congress governments at the Centre".
He said the state had fought the nation's war against militancy but also had to bear the expenditure of the central security forces.
Likewise, Badal said the state's economy received a "fatal blow" when the neighboring states were granted incentives by the Congress government "which led to mass exodus of industries from the state".
The Chief Minister alleged that Congress had meddled in the political, social, economic and even religious affairs of people of the state.
Later, while interacting with the media persons, the Chief Minister said the state government has constructed several memorials to preserve the cultural heritage of the state.
Badal said the state government was fully sensitised towards ensuring proper maintenance of these projects for which they had already made requisite arrangements.
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