Channi claiming credit of works done by my govt: Amarinder

Punjab Lok Congress president Amarinder Singh on Monday trashed CM Charanjit Singh Channi’s claims over welfare works, claiming that the ruling Congress government is taking credit of the works which were done when he was the chief minister of the state.

Amarinder Singh had quit the Congress following his unceremonious exit as the state CM last year. Later, he floated the Punjab Lok Congress and now has a alliance with the BJP and the SAD (Sanyukt) for the Assembly polls scheduled for February 20.

Addressing his party workers here after filing his nomination papers from Patiala Urban seat, he claimed that it was his government that acted tough in desecration and drug cases.

Everything that Channi is claiming as his personal achievement ”was accomplished by my government, including creation of jobs, social welfare schemes, free bus travel for women and farmers’ debt waiver”, he said.

Even in desecration and drugs case, it was his government that had initiated strong steps to take matters head on, Amarinder Singh said as per a statement.

His government had fought hard, right up to the Supreme Court, to get the desecration cases back from the CBI, leading to 19 officers, including ex-DGP Sumedh Saini, being booked, the leader said.

As for the drug cases, Amarinder Singh said it was his government that successfully broke the backbone of the drug mafia, leading to the arrest of more than 40,000 people, including many big fish.

”But it would be naive to believe that drugs can be completely wiped out anywhere in the world, and more so in a border state like Punjab where Pakistan is pushing in drugs almost every day,” he added. The former CM said he extended unequivocal support to farmers during their agitation against the Centre’s farm laws. Despite blockades at 137 places across the state, his government did not take action as he was cognizant of the concerns of farmers, he said. Lauding the eventual revocation of the farm laws, he said never had it happened before that the prime minister of a country apologise for any policy decision as was done by Narendra Modi while withdrawing the legislations. ”With the Narendra Modi government set to remain at the Centre for at least another seven years, the PLC could transform the state with their support if voted to power,” he said.

”Punjab’s economy is in a bad shape, it is reeling under huge debt and needs financial support from the Centre,” he stressed, adding that the future of the state’s students, youth, farmers and others was at stake and need close a Centre-state coordination. Amarinder Singh further said his government gave 22 lakh jobs, education standards were raised and the state got Rs 1 lakh crore worth industrial investment during his rule but much more was needed to be done to put Punjab back on track, said Amarinder Singh.

Amarinder Singh, who was accompanied by BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, has filed his papers from Patiala Urban seat in Patiala. He has been winning from Patiala seat since 2002 on the Congress ticket.