BJP to start state-wide agitation against Punjab govt from Oct 2

Chandigarh: The BJP's Punjab unit Friday announced a state-wide agitation from October 2 against the Amarinder Singh government and accused it of failing on all fronts.

There has been no development in Punjab and the law and order situation has deteriorated under the Congress government, state BJP president Shwait Malik alleged.

"We will start an agitation with the slogan Congress Gaddi Chodo from October 2 against the Congress regime which has failed on all fronts. The agitation will start from Jalandhar," he told reporters here.

Malik claimed that development works have witnessed a setback since the Congress came to power in Punjab. 

"The funds which were released during the previous SAD-BJP regime have been returned unspent.

"This government is by the people, but it is certainly not for the people. It is only serving Congress workers and leaders," the Punjab BJP chief said.

He alleged that the Congress government in Punjab has just been making excuses of inheriting an empty exchequer ever since it came to power in March 2017. 

The government had no intention to work for the welfare of the people, the BJP leader alleged, adding that there is no governance in the state.

"The administration is run by the bureaucracy and the chief minister is completely missing. He (Amarinder Singh) neither goes to office nor meets people," he said.

Malik, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, accused the Punjab government of failing to



honour its poll promises.

"Whatever promises the Congress had made before the (assembly) elections continue to remain unfulfilled. Farmers who were expecting a complete debt waiver are feeling cheated. 

"Youths are not getting jobs. Where is the Rs 50,000 Shagun scheme which was promised? Industry was promised power at Rs 5 per unit. But now the state's industry was being forced to pay Rs 10 per unit," he said.

Malik also charged the state government with trying to vitiate the atmosphere under the garb of the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report on sacrilege incidents in order to divert attention from its "failures".

"We demand that the real culprits involved in the sacrilege incidents, whichever party they belong to, must be arrested," he said.

Taking on the state government on the issue of law and order, Malik alleged that the situation has deteriorated under the present dispensation.

"At least four robbery incidents have been reported alone in Amritsar district in the past few days and police have failed to nab any of the accused," he said.

The BJP leader demanded from the state government to take action against anti-social elements that are trying to disturb peace, harmony and brotherhood in the state.

Malik also said his party's state unit had held its executive committee meeting here.

In view of Lok Sabha elections next year, a campaign committee has been formed, he said.