Sukhbir lacks vision, fails Punjab: Khangura - 15/08/2009
LUDHIANA, August 15: Qila Raipur MLA Jassi Khangura today said that the Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal had failed the people of Punjab with his visionless Independence Day speech that lacked substance and conviction, besides failing to address the core issues concerning the state, particularly unemployment and recession. “At best it was repetitive and at worst it was visionless”, he remarked.
Reacting to the first Independence Day speech of the Deputy Chief Minister, Khangura pointed out “these are the words of someone who presents speculation as policy, draft plans as completed projects and central schemes as his own”.
The MLA observed, “even today Sukhbir is so deluded by his elusive quest to make Punjab power surplus that he seems oblivious to the Planning Commission's refusal to sanction any new power projects in the eleventh plan. He simply refuses to accept the reality that the only projects likely to progress from concept to commissioning during the term of the government are the small hydel, solar and biomass initiatives."
He stressed that Sukhbir should stop misleading the people of Punjab and must declare that surplus power will not happen during the term of this government.
He said, Sukhbir promises a “transparent and corruption free and people friendly administration” without any sense of introspection as he has not managed to deliver on any of these promises. Sadly the defining image of this government remains that of the severely beaten and publicly stripped tehsildar Maj (retd) GS Benipal, whom Sukhbir has not visited so far.
Referring to the big, but hollow promises of Sukhbir about setting up four international airports in Punjab, Khangura said, the matter of the fact is that one new international airport is coming up at Chandigarh, which will itself adversely affect Amritsar International Airport and result in the likely stillbirth of the other proposed international airports.
The MLA said, while talking of ‘azadi’, Sukhbir fails to respect the rights of millions denied the aata-daal, tens of thousands falsely charged and imprisoned and the thousands of NRIs featuring incorrectly on the Proclaimed Offenders’ list. Sukhbir’s address was absolutely silent on the NRI issues something incredible as he happens to be the minister in charge, he remarked.
Referring to Sukhbir’s claims of getting an IIT and the Central University into Punjab, Khangura asked, “what is Sukhbir's contribution in setting up these institutions, which are all central government schemes?”
Khangura regretted that Sukhbir had nothing to say about hundreds and thousands of educated unemployed youth who are falling prey to various social evils like drug addiction. Nor did he mention anything about preventing the industry flight from the state, not to speak of measures that would encourage investments from outside.
