Akali chief guns for Punjab Congress MLA, who hits back with stinging retort: “Guided and aimed at you to destroy your corrupt businesses.”
CHANDIGARH – Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal and Punjab Congress MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu sparred on Wednesday after the former caustically called the cricketer-turned-politician “a misguided missile”.
Addressing mediapersons after paying obeisance at Golden Temple with his wife and former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Sukhbir said: “Sidhu is a misguided missile, which has no control. It can hit anywhere, including himself.”
The SAD chief was replying to a question related to Sidhu’s criticism of Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh over the probe into the 2015 sacrilege incidents. Sukhbir, who was the state deputy chief minister and held the home portfolio at that time, was questioned in the Kotkapura firing case by the Punjab Police special investigation team in Chandigarh on Saturday.
“Over the past 25 years, Sidhu hasn’t been loyal to anyone. He deserted cricket, left the BJP and turned to the Congress only to criticise its leaders. Earlier, he would make Prime Minister Narendra Modi happy with a few dialogues and now he uses the same dialogues for Congress president Sonia Gandhi,” the Akali leader said, adding, “Punjab doesn’t need a dramatic actor like him. Punjab needs a sober person to lead it for its progress and development.”
Sidhu, who earlier in the day announced his “long meeting” with Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in New Delhi, promptly took to Twitter to hit back at his Akali rival, saying that his aim was to destroy Sukhbir’s “corrupt business”. “Guided and aimed at you to destroy your corrupt businesses. Until your Sukh Vilas built on Punjab’s ruins is not turned into a public school & public hospital to serve Punjab’s poor, I won’t relent!” the firebrand Congress leader posted on the microblogging site.
On Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s promise of free power in Punjab if the Aam Aadmi Party is voted to power next year, Sukhbir said instead of making electricity free up to 300 units in the national capital, the AAP chief has been making fake promises in Punjab.
“The Delhi government has been providing only 200 units of free electricity, but its CM is promising 300 free units in Punjab. Moreover, the 200 units being provided to poor people are out of the free electricity scheme when power is consumed over and above 200 units. In Punjab, 200 units of electricity are already free,” Sukhbir said.
He said, “Kejriwal doesn’t know anything about Punjab. He is speaking about providing 24-hour power supply. He must know that round-the-clock electricity supply was given by our government.”
Criticising the Capt Amarinder Singh government, he said it had failed to run all thermal plants. “Power plants need maintenance. Due to poor planning, farmers are getting only four-hour electricity supply instead of the promised eight hours for sowing paddy. When our government was in power, we provided eight-hour electricity to the farmers. Besides, the state government has stopped canal water for farmers, especially in the border areas,” he said.
He criticised the shortage of vaccines to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. “The shortage of vaccine in the state is a concern. The state government should ensure adequate vaccine for all,” Sukhbir added.
