Jagraon, March 18 Lashing out at rival parties, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday said that only his party is concerned about the welfare of the people of Punjab.
Badal appealed to the people to support the SAD for the welfare of Punjab, Punjabis, and Punjabiat. The SAD president was addressing a rally here along with senior party leader S R Kaler as part of his party's 'Punjab Bachao' (Save Punjab) movement.
He said, "Do you think Modi ji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi), Arvind Kejriwal, or Rahul Gandhi care about your issues?"
Badal said that the parties of Delhi had always "discriminated" against Punjab while claiming how the state was denied its right to its own capital, how half of its river waters were snatched and given to Rajasthan against the principle of riparian rights, and how Punjabi-speaking areas were excluded while re-constituting it in 1966.
Badal lashed out at the AAP government, accusing it of trying to deceive Punjabis again by claiming that it would give Rs 1,000 per month to general category women and Rs 1,500 per month to those from the reserved category.
He said, "The AAP government has taken a loan of Rs 52,000 crore and has sold government land to give this allowance to women for six months."
In this process, the government has also withheld the power subsidy from the power utility, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited. This will "spell doom" for Punjab and its farmers, he alleged.
Badal said that SAD would not allow water to flow into the Rajasthan canal after his party forms the government in 2027.
"All water diverted from the Rajasthan canal will be brought back to the fields of Punjab," said Badal.
He also announced that he would not allow one drop of industrial or sewage effluent to enter the Sutlej and Beas rivers.
"Those who violate will be dealt with sternly. This is absolutely essential to tackle the scourge of cancer in the Malwa belt," he said.
He also announced that the 'Rahat' scheme initiated by the erstwhile SAD government would be revived to put an end to tax terrorism to which traders were subjected to both during the previous Congress and present AAP government.
The SAD president also announced that an Rs 10 lakh interest-free loan would be offered to youth, besides restarting an expanded 'Atta Dal' scheme and raising old age pension to Rs 3,100 per month and Shagun allowance to Rs 1 lakh.