Gurdaspur (Punjab):- Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh today asked people not to pay “exhorbitant” electricity bills and promised waiver of farmers’ debt if the party forms government in the state after next year’s elections.
Addressing a ‘Kisan Chetna’ dharna organised here under the leadership of Partap Singh Bajwa, former PCC president and the chairman of the PCC committee on farmer issues, Amarinder said if the party is voted to power, he will ensure that the farmers loans are waived off and their land is not taken away.
The PCC president said it was a tragedy that the same farmers of Punjab, who once fed the entire nation, were now either dying themselves for food or were killing themselves in despair for inability to repay their loans.
“We owe it to you as you have done your due and now it is our responsibility to bail you out,” he told the farmers.
Referring to the complaint about the “exhorbitant” electricity bills slapped on the poor consumers by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited, he asked them not to pay these bills and promised to settle these if Congress forms the government.
He said electricity was the most expensive in Punjab and the PSPCL was resorting to loot of poor consumers.
Lashing out at Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, Amarinder alleged that they had ruined the farming community, forcing them to resort to suicide.
He also attacked Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, alleging that he had forced the synthetic drugs on youth thus destroying an entire generation.
Responding to the announcement made by AICC Secretary in-charge for Punjab Asha Kumari that all such people will be jailed, the PCC president said, “not only shall I put them behind the bars, I will set them right as well by hanging them upside down”.
Among other poll promises, the former Chief Minister said not only will he cancel all the false FIRs against the Congress workers “on the first day of taking over the government”, he will also ensure that all those people responsible, whether the Akali jathedars or the police officials, will also be put behind the bars.
“I will avenge each and every Congress worker s persecution,” he asserted.
PTI
